“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 1 Chronicles 29:14
“We give when we delight in someone. . . We also give when others are in need. A stranded stranger receives a helping hand; we aid the sick or those recently laid off from work to get what they need. Finally, we give to help others give. We give to people who work for good causes in which we believe — we give to educational institutions (maybe to build and maintain a good library) and churches (perhaps to pay their ministers), to relief organizations (say, to help alleviate the global HIV/AIDS crisis). . . In all three types of situations, we give because we seek the good of another. In all three we imitate God.”
Miroslav Volf in Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005) 68.
As King David proclaimed in today’s Scripture reading, our giving is merely a reflection of God’s generosity toward us. As Volf notes, it often takes three forms or appears in three different situations. Yesterday was an unforgettable day where I got to experience all three types of situations.
I am so filled with joy about it that when I woke up in the middle of the night, I could not go back to sleep.
First, I had lunch with a CPA who loves to do business deals for God. With the resources God supplies, he in turn, loves to help others give. When I shared about the ECFA international liaison work I am giving myself to around the world, he expressed enthusiastic desire to partner with me.
Second, during our lunch we learned a lot about each other. We had many things in common, including the fact that both of us had times when our wife had battled cancer which brought us closer to God. Mine, had survived. His wife passed away, and in God’s providence, he had recently remarried.
After our lunch, we happened to be parked next to each other. He learned that I was driving my wife’s car as we were sharing a car. He said,” Gary you need another car.” He was driving the vehicle that his late wife had driven. With joy he said, “Gary, I want to give you this car. It’s got a lot of miles on it but it’s reliable.”
I am still speechless about this. He says he wants to clean it up. I can’t wait to receive it as God’s provision.
Third, we went out to dinner last night with our neighbor because we delight in him. The food was good as was the fellowship. The meal was a celebration of friendship.
In one day I got to experience all three types of situations. Sometimes I was giving, others times receiving. Each situation imitates God who delights in us, who provides when we are in need, and who enriches to help others give. Thank you God.