There is a theory that says you become the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. I'm going on the World Race, so if you assumed that my social circle consisted of more than a few people who are pursuing missionary callings, you would be correct. This means that not only am I in need of certain things from other people, but so are some of my very close friends (including my squad mates).
For as long as I can remember, God has requested me to give. I didn't always know that it was God asking this of me, but considered it my obligation as a human being to help others in need. Even before I decided to give Him my heart, I was completely open to giving God my money and resources. If I'm completely honest, it never was a huge challenge for me.
Now that I am in this place of my life, God has been challenging me to give. It's no longer a simple request. He's been challenging me to give to people who I know and who I don't know. He's been challenging me to pray for others when all I want to do is pray for myself. Missionaries are often asking for support and we've become pros at quoting the line,
Anything that you can give would be a HUGE help. There is no amount too small!
Believe me, I'm guilty of it too. While this is a very true statement, do we really believe that ourselves?
Just then, he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford — she gave her all!" – Luke 21:1-4 MSG
How many times have you chosen not to give because all you had was $1?
How many times have you asked for support, and then scoffed at the .50 cents that was offered?
How many times have you exclaimed "THERE IS NO AMOUNT TOO SMALL!", but panicked in wondering how is this $5 donation going to make a dent in my $16,000 balance?
How many times do you give your all, as little as it may be, knowing that God considers it to be the greatest gift of all?
I've been challenged to see things as God sees them. Probably because I've prayed often to have the eyes and heart of Jesus — word to the wise: be careful what you pray for! As Christians, we know that when God blesses us with something, He expects us to steward that blessing wisely. But how about stewarding a blessing that we have not received yet? How about taking the responsibility of being the answer to the prayers that we make?
I have 8 squad mates who still need to meet their goal of $6,500 in order to leave with me in September for the World Race. This amount has to be raised by August 18, which means they only have 4 days! If you are reading this blog, I challenge you to give to them. I don't have much. I've been unemployed for the past 7 months. I've been giving everything that I do have towards paying bills and buying gear for The World Race. But I believe wholeheartedly in EVERYTHING that the bible says. So I'm going to lead by example and donate $5 to each of these squad members accounts. These people are trying to change the world, but they need our help … WE need your help! Please, if you believe in God's power to take your "two mites" and turn it into an extravagant offering, consider donating whatever you can to one or all of their accounts as well. Links to their profiles can be found below …
IF YOU DECIDE TO DONATE TO ANY OF THESE ACCOUNTS, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO THEM OR TO ME ([email protected]) WITH WHAT WAS DONATED! The money doesn't show up in the accounts right away, but we can let them know that it's coming.
