"The most obvious lesson in Christ's teaching is that there is no happiness in having or getting anything, but only in giving." -Henry Drummond
“To keep or not to keep?” I asked repeatedly myself.
A month before Christmas last year, my mom, brother, and I visited our grandparents and aunts in Philippines. As Christmas was just around the corner that time, all of my grandmas, my uncle, and auntie gave me and my brother money as our Christmas gift. I got so excited about all the money we received, that I accidentally blurted out that it was going to be my birthday soon after Christmas, and that I’ll be saving up money to buy an Xbox. My grandparents, having heard of what my plan was, gave me and my brother our early birthday gift. Additional money was indeed a perfect birthday gift for us!
The next day, Sunday, our Church day, while we were inside the church, during the offering time, my mom asked me if I wanted to give my tithes. “What tithes?”, then I remembered the money I received yesterday from all my relatives. Honestly, when my mom asked, I didn’t want to part with my money. She asked me once, but all throughout the service, I was wrestling whether I should give my tithes or not. Then, at the end of the service, I went up to my mom, and said, “Yes, we will give our tithes.” And asked her for the envelope for us to put our tithes. My favorite day of the year arrived! It’s Christmas Day! I was looking forward to receive my Lego set gift I requested from my mom and dad. Having forgotten the time when my brother and I offered our first tithes, I saw my dad and mom with a big box, and when they opened it, I got a big surprise! It was the gift that we were trying to save up for!
I learned from this unexpected experience of mine is that nobody can out give God in any way. I had given God just 10% of the money I received (which might have been small if you're going to count it) but He gave me something much greater that I didn’t expect. Remember the story from the Bible “The Widow’s Offering” (Mark 12:41-44). There was a widow who was stricken with poverty; nonetheless, she still chooses to honor God through her tithes even in a small amount. Jesus said to his disciples that the widow offered much more than all the wealthy people who put in their tithes. The wealthy people just gave a portion of what they have while the widow offered everything she has at that time. One more thing I learned from this experience was that I should be depending on my source of everything, who is God, and not the resources, which basically comes from Him only. Resources like money or wealth, fame, power are not lasting and soon can be gone, however, if I hold on to God, my great source of everything, I am assured I will never be in lack. It was a firsthand experience of knowing the importance of putting God first in everything and entrusting Him with the desires of my heart. Believing that He will give me my deepest desires as long as it is His will!
Prayer
Lord,
Help me depend on You always in everything. Remind me that without You, i would never achieve any of the things in my life. You know each and every one of my desires, and I trust You, that you will give me, as long as it will be Your will. Help me to show my love to you through the gifts You are giving me. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.
But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33
-by Tim
