Give Your Best Away

I have friends who are moths to a flame when it comes to gifting from their stockpile of doorbuster deals: 75% off the cheap brand of paper towels that soak up nothing, bath towels that are scratchy and non-absorbent, chintzy plastic gadgets that last for a day or two before falling to pieces.

I politely decline to join these shopping sprees.

Why?

Quality matters, especially when giving to others.

Surprisingly, I have been critiqued for this.

Case in point.

Years ago, I hosted a ladies’ event at church. In preparation, I ascended our attic and returned with my pile of linens and simple decor, which I keep for hosting.

Then, I zipped to the grocery store and bought a bright array of fresh fruit, which I planned to serve alongside a platter of cubed cheese and crackers.

My heart desired to honor each guest by creating a peaceful, pleasant, and delicious atmosphere as we celebrated.

All was dandy until the day of the event when I rounded the corner into the church kitchen and happened upon a trio of women hoisting the extra-large platter of fruit above their heads, squinting as they studied the price tag clinging to the bottom of the tray.

Clearly, they were appalled.

My goodness, she spent a fortune, said one as she lowered the tray and bit into a plump strawberry.

Too much money! said another, nibbling on a cheese cube and licking her fingers.

Then they noticed me–oops, too late–and stammered, blushing like children caught with fists in the cookie jar.

I laughed.

Everything okay in here, ladies? I grinned.

Um, yes, one said. Just curious to know where you bought this delicious food.

The store name is right next to the price tag, I said with a wink.

While I have learned that these types of situations come with the territory of being married to my pastor, life in a fishbowl, what these women did not consider was that I had spent our personal money on purpose.

For their enjoyment.

And for this, I was criticized.

***

Is there anything wrong with saving money? No, if one’s heart is in the right place. The Bible tells us that a wise person saves for the future. (Proverbs 21:20)

Problems arise, however, when money becomes our God, and fear our companion.

God blesses us with good things to enjoy and to share. How attractive authentic generosity and openhandedness are in this selfish world!

When fear takes the wheel, generosity fades, giving way to miserly behaviors, giving others less than our best.

Here are some helpful questions for self-examination:

Whose money am I stewarding?

Am I using the money and things God has loaned me to lavishly bless, comfort, and help others?

Am I giving my life and my possessions away for the good of the gospel?

Am I spending money to own the best things for myself, while giving poorly to others?

No one takes their piggy bank to heaven.

***

Fifteen years ago, I had been wishing for a quality hutch. I had visited thrift stores and was met with poor-quality wood, particle board pieces that were in tatters and would eventually collapse.

I perused advertisements in our mailbox, fine hutches so far out of reach that I laughed and gave up. We had bigger fish to fry with four growing children. So, I tucked the wish away and counted my blessings instead, repeating Elisabeth Elliot’s sentiment: If I don’t have it, I don’t need it.

Right, she was! God supplies our every need, not our every wish.

And he sometimes delights to surprise us.

One Saturday morning, more than a year after my hutch-dreaming saga, I opened my email and read a notification from our homeschool group:

Anyone want a free Ethan Allen hutch?

I responded with a swift yes, please, and given the early morning hour, I was first to respond. Not only was it a gorgeous, high-quality piece, but it came with a large dining room table and chairs.

Fifteen years later, we still gather around that table. The timeless hutch, now painted butternut, adorns our dining room today.

My favorite part of the story?

The man who kindly blessed us with such fine furniture was already giving his life away by serving in full-time prison ministry work.

Here is what I know: when God takes a heart of stone and redeems it, everything changes. Our affections for God and others are full of gracious generosity. We treat others as we want to be treated.

God himself gave us his best, sparing not his Son.

***

I was once told the story of a church that decided to go above and beyond by blessing missionaries one holiday season. The ladies’ coordinator rounded up the women for a deep planning session. They circled their folding chairs in the fellowship hall, sipped Starbucks, and concocted a plan.

For one month, each woman pledged to save her (used) morning tea bags, drying them out and storing them in a plastic bag to send overseas.

Hold on. It gets worse.

Each woman was also instructed to rummage around in purse, makeup bag, and drawers, gathering perfume and cologne samples. As in the paper ones tucked in magazines, along with partially used teensy vials included in mailers. (For goodness’ sake, not actual perfume bottles, ladies, the shipping would be astronomical!)

They gathered proudly one month later and gift-wrapped those samples, placing them alongside the second-hand teabags as a pleasant way to bless those men and women who had forsaken everything to spread the Good News of Christ with the nations.

I have no words.

In fact, when I heard this, I thought of my grandfather, who spent his life giving quality gifts to his family, friends, coworkers, and church, faithfully blessing pastors and missionaries who had few possessions. He never announced it, but silently met needs, his heart happy and full. He died without a large savings account, having honorably given it away while he was alive.

Countless people were changed by his unending generosity, this I know.

His heart was tender as his hands were open, graciously holding all things loosely, stewarding whatever the Lord had given him in order to meet needs immediately. He understood what the ladies murmuring over the costly fruit tray, and the women sending missionaries crummy leftovers did not:

Giving the best to others is a reflection of one’s heart.

Some people have precious little money and few material possessions, and yet they overflow with generosity, sharing and giving what little they have, with the happiest of hearts.

Do you remember the poor widow who had next to nothing, but gave everything to God?

Jesus read her heart and praised her cheerful giving.

---

2 Corinthians 9:6-7

⁶ The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 11:24-25

²⁴ One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;
    another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
²⁵ Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
    and one who waters will himself be watered.