One of my favorite episodes in Scripture has Jesus telling his followers that the more they give, the more they will receive. It cannot be otherwise, he explains, because God will never be outdone in generosity.
The concept of tithing is explained in a different part of Scripture. It’s the idea that the first fruits—perhaps 10 percent of one’s earnings—should be given to God as an act of faith. (The actual money can be given to charity or to church.) It sounds simple, but putting it into practice is very difficult.
We all have reasons for not giving money away, especially now, with so many people jobless or earning reduced wages. But a principle is a principle, and it works all the time, not just when it seems easier to accept.
Colleen W. knows it firsthand. Her story is typical of how most of us take the first step. Finances had been somewhat tight for Colleen. One day she received a letter from a woman for whom she had done a favor. Inside was a gift card for $25, along with a brief “thank you” note from the woman.
Colleen hadn’t expected to be paid, and she was thrilled. She couldn’t remember the last time she had received money that had no specific destination. The possibilities were exciting. A new, pretty spring outfit, perhaps? She headed out to one of her favorite stores.
While wandering up and down the aisles, she passed a display of Easter bunnies and angels. She immediately thought of her dear friend Grace who was mourning the death of her son. He had died around Easter of last year. With the anniversary approaching, she wondered how Grace would handle it.
Grace had started a collection of angels and another of bunnies shortly after the funeral. “They just make me feel better,” she once explained to Colleen.
Now Colleen was looking at a display of the same items, and . . . she moved closer. There was a statue of an angel holding a bunny. Just perfect for Grace. The price? A little under $25.
No, Colleen thought. I can’t spend my gift card on something for someone else . . . But she could and she knew it.
You will be repaid, said a voice in her head, but what did that mean? Quickly, before she could change her mind, she bought the statue, went home, wrapped it, and left it on Grace’s porch.
When Grace phoned, Colleen could hardly hear her through the tears. “It’s the nicest thing that’s happened to me in a long time,” her friend told her. “How could you possibly know that I was asking God for a sign that my son is in His arms?” Colleen cried too, then. She had definitely been repaid, as the words in her head had promised.
What could be more enjoyable than making someone else happy? God probably feels that way too, which is why Colleen received an unexpected check in the mail a few days later, from a utility bill overcharge. The amount? $25. A modest sum, indeed. But being a part of God’s answer to prayer is priceless..”
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