More Than His Ten Percent

As our family has taken a step away from the church building, and sought to live more in the body of Christ, one thing that I have pondered was how we were going to give from what we have been given to the Lord. I have wondered how much of what is given in the rotation of the shiny gold or silver plates with the felt bottoms that go by with pomp and ceremony is done out of a sense of obligation with very little heart of worship. I know personally that I gave (when I did) hoping that God would bless me - and I think most of the time I was missing the point. A lot has changed in my heart. I have asked God to show me opportunities to participate in what He is doing, and l have been astounded in the last 24 hours at the ways they have seemingly fallen from the sky.

• Yesterday afternoon, I was heading out to get an alignment on my van. On the way I stopped at the closest gas station to my house to tank up, but for some reason that is even unknown to me, I decided not to get my gas there but go to the next station up the road. When I pulled in, Kullen helped get the gas pump started and the lady in the next lane said, "'Scuse me ma'am, but I'm trying to get to (a town an hour away) and I don't have any money for gas. If you could help me with five dollars of gas (which by the way would never have gotten her there), you could follow me there and I'll get my check, and pay you back." Let me also explain that it was about 2000 degrees in the shade and she was driving a car without air conditioning. I am always suspicious of such situations, and assessed it as quickly as I could, and I told her to wait and I would go inside and pay for some gas. Kullen and I also bought her a large coke with ice and sent her on the way, certain that God had put her in our path so that we could help her. She kept saying, "God bless you. God bless you."
  
• Tonight, a neighbor's adult son was here. He has been having marriage trouble, and financial trouble, and just generally an all around difficult life. He has recently given his life to the Lord, however his problems did not instantly vanish. He has gotten a job in Kansas, but does not have the gas money to get there.
  

Two opportunities to give and serve and love with the hands and feet and wallet of Christ. Isn't He the coolest?