Giving Sacrificially

 

 When I think about Christians sacrificially giving, I remember the times when Michelle and I gave to others anonymously and when they knew we did it. I remember many times when people would give of their time and money to help us and others. My life experience says that truly Christians give sacrificially of their time, their talent, and their treasure without seeking anything in return.  Sure, there are exceptions but as Elisha told his servant there are more with us than against us. I testify today that real Christianity is overflowing with loving and sacrificially-giving people. When it came to thinking of a time when someone gave that it meant so much and I have to be honest there are too many.   

As I thought this week however the most giving thing that stands in my mind is something the person who did it may not even have recognized as giving. What they gave helped me even more than I realized at the time.

When I started in ministry I was an odd duck. I didn’t grow up in the denomination. Originally, I went through the course of studies to get my ordination, a program that many considered second-rate, but which I found harder than college. I was preaching at a church of maybe a dozen people on a great week and I was working full-time. I couldn’t attend all the functions our denomination had and since I wore a suit this was even before I wore a clerical collar, I was accused by one pastor of being no better than a pharisee. To say the least, I felt less than a real minister, and sometimes real, or imagined I was treated that way.

I was invited to attend a meeting of pastors to pray. These pastors from various denominations were gracious, loved God, and loved each other despite the huge doctrinal differences between them. Pastor Paul Carey an experienced, well-educated Baptist pastor repeatedly treated me with respect and graciously listened to me as if I was his equal, I wasn’t. This gracious gift to a young pastor did and still does encourage me that God called me. His gift wasn’t money or talent, it was time and attention, and though he might not have thought much of it. It is one of the greatest gifts, I ever received. It flowed from his Christ-centered life.