10-11-06 Not The Crumbs

October 11, 2006

And the Lord said, “NOT THE CRUMBS“!

I think that’s in Genesis --- somewhere in the beginning. Of course it’s a wobbly translation. That thought kept running through my mind all week after hearing a loving nudge two Sunday’s ago to replenish the storehouse so the work of our church and missions can be “glocally transformissional” and debt free. I prayed all week that we would all do our tithe thing and allow our church to continue to glorify God. I was really anxious to check out the section that displays our church body giving rate. Oh my! Not so good! Perhaps the encouragement to keep the lights on and the Pastors car insurance paid up will help. I want to help too. If I could just influence three billionaires to tithe I know it will help. It would also be handy if they came to our church. Here’s a story that inspired me years ago to be a joyful giver. Our tithes and offerings are vital to God’s kingdom work. That’s exciting to me knowing I can do something vital and I hope it is or will become exciting to you too.

Mrs. Baughman was my 6th grade Sunday school teacher. One morning, she brought a pan of brownies to our class. As the goodies sat over by her chair, she gave each child a slip of paper marked with a household expense: house payment, utility bill, phone bill, entertainment, etc. My slip had a car payment. Before long, Mrs. Baughman picked up the tray of brownies and began naming the expenses written on the papers. As we gave her our expenses, she redeemed each one for a brownie. "Car payment" she announced. I jumped up to get my brownie from the pan. Finally the last brownie had disappeared. But one boy named Donald still held his unredeemed slip. "God!" called Mrs. Baughman. Donald came forward hoping the teacher had one more brownie hidden some where. With a knife Mrs. Baughman scraped the crumbs from the bottom of the pan into Donald's napkin. He got a pretty raw deal, I thought -just crumbs. "The brownies represent your money", the teacher explained to us. "If you don't give God his share right away, He probably won't get anything except maybe the crumbs." I never forgot that illustration. The day my friend Donald got only the brownie crumbs, even as a child I learned that God should have the first right to everything I have. In the years since Mrs. Baughman’s class I have struggled with giving and priorities, but whenever I recall the "Crummy Sunday School Lesson", I know who should and must always come first in my life! -- Author Unknown

Honor the LORD by giving him your money and the first part of all your crops. Then you will have more grain and grapes than you will ever need. Proverbs 3:9-10/CEV

I hate missing out on brownies – I must be my Father’s daughter.

Nibbling on the goodness of the Lord,
Lyndi