Keeping or Giving

I clutched the $20.00 bill in my hand, debating whether to give it this Sunday in the offering plate or keep it. I could really use the money for a particular need I had and give another $20.00 the next Sunday. The temptation was so great...

It was my tithe from the past 3 months. After 3 years of working late at night, in between Church, homeschooling, and being a Mom, Pros and Cons of Homeschooling was finally making a small income. (Small shameful plug :)...you can shop at Amazon through Pro and Cons of Homeschooling and I get a small percentage! )

It was December 2. According to Walmart, I only had 22 shopping day left for Christmas. (I know this because our Walmart has a digital counter that blinks at you as you walk in the store... just in case we forget how close Christmas is).

I kept thinking how LONG it took me to make that money and how it was only 22 shopping days away from Christmas and I still did not have any presents  for the children. Surely God knew that and wanted me to keep my hard earned money!

I know  you all are thinking what a horrible person I am and how very nonspiritual and selfish it is to keep back God's money! I share this because sometimes my flesh cries out to want my way, be selfish, and keep back what is truly God's anyway.

At the end of the service, I took that now crumbled $20.00 bill and put it in the offering plate in the office. As I walked away, I knew I had done the right thing. All the money is given by God anyway...it is all His that has only  graciously been given to me...

As I herded the children in the car and sat waiting for my husband to lock the church doors...I kept asking myself, “Why is it so hard to give back to God what is already His anyway?”

Before we drove away, I shared my experience with my husband. Slowly he pulled out of his pocket a check that was handed to him on his way out the door. We looked at the check, looked at each other, and then sat back in awe.

How astronomically amazing is God to give back to me after my heart was so close to keeping HIS money, on top of that, our omnipotent and omniscient God gave us back abundantly more than my small pittance.

Driving away that Sunday, my heart and my soul rejoiced in knowing His Grace and Love was granted to a girl who was so selfish.