Sacrificial Giving Produces Joy and Thanksgiving

November 3, 2018

DAILY READING

Matthew 14:13-21
This weekend’s reading: Matthew 14:13-21

FIELD NOTES

When her husband died, a young mother went took a minimum wage job.  Her junior high son worked on a neighbor’s farm.  Her daughter helped financially through babysitting.  Even though it was a meager amount, they joyfully and thankfully tithe their income to God through their church.
 
Their church announced it was receiving an offering on Thanksgiving Sunday to help a poor family in real need.  This family decided to this “family in real need.”  So, they saved and sacrificed for the next few weeks resulting in $73.42 which they could donate.
 
On Thanksgiving Sunday, with joy their $73.42 went into the offering plate for the family in real need. Their worship that morning was more joyful and thankful than ever.
 
That evening, their pastor visited their home telling the family that the church cared for them.  He proudly announced that the church’s gift to them was $77.87.  After praying, the pastor then left.
 
Sitting there in stunned silence, they realized that they gave $73.42 of the $77.87 money for “a poor family in real need.”  They had no idea that they were this family.
 
The following Sunday, the three of them gave $77.87 to their church family because they felt their church family was in real need.  Their worship was even more glorious than the previous week.
 
No matter the amount, abundant worship usually flows from abundant giving.  The word worship comes from a root word “gift.”  That which we worship is that to which we give our time, talent, and money.  Look at your calendar and see where you spend your time.  Look at how you use your talents and for what purpose.  Check your bank and credit card statements and look where you spend your money.  These are great indicators of who or what we worship. 

QUESTIONS FROM THE FIELD