God wants your heart. He’s looking for disciples so filled with a vision for eternity that their deepest desire is to invest their money, time, and prayers where they will matter most. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). – Randy Alcorn
It was a busy Tuesday afternoon, and I had stuff like unreturned emails, dinner prep, and my long list of evening kid activities on my mind. Smack in the middle of my rush, my eight year old daughter tugged at my arm and pulled me away from the chaos into my bedroom closet, quickly closing the door behind her.
In her chubby hand was a wad of money: four crisp new tens to be exact – a Christmas present from her grandparents – plus a single dollar that had been tucked under her pillow in exchange for her most recent lost tooth. On top of the loose cash was a small note written in my passionate second grader’s handwriting that read:
“So that the people will know.”
She demanded that I take her money (which was the complete sum of every last penny that she had to her name), then she immediately burst into tears as it left her hands and entered mine. She didn’t have to say a word – I knew exactly where her precious tears came from and the meaning behind her intentional words. Now with tears in my eyes, I took her in my arms and made room for the two of us to settle in on my closet floor.
“For the people in Syria?” I whispered as she snuggled into my lap.
“Yep, mom,” she mustered in between her crying sighs. “So they will know.”
Earlier in the week, her heart had been noticeably moved by our family meeting about the great physical and spiritual needs of the people in this particular devastated, war-torn nation. Now in that closet, what might have seemed to an outsider like tears originating from the aching loss of her wealth were actually tears that told her heart’s story of how deeply she wanted the people of Syria to know just how much Jesus loves them.
She honored God with her wealth;
She gave her best, holding nothing back.
She invested in eternity instead of earthly gain, because Jesus is her greatest treasure.
_________________________
My whole life I’ve been a saver.
When I was a little girl, my mom tells me that I treasured and held onto even the simplest of trinkets. In elementary school I remember managing my first savings account with much interest and detail. In middle school I said yes to nearly every babysitting offer so I could earn a buck. In high school I waited tables at a local restaurant after school and barely spent a dime of my earnings. I lived my college years working to avoid student loans, and later found my wedding dress in the very back of a humble little shop on the 75% off clearance rack.
I wish I could say that my tendency towards frugality has always been a result of healthy disciplines and an eternal focus, but too often my motivation for work and financial independence came from a pursuit of self-sufficiency, worldly security, and more sinful pride than I’d like to admit. With too little faith and a too-tight grip on what I considered mine, what I had hoped would look like fiscal responsibility to the world had become an idol and hindrance to my right response to the gospel.
God Wants Our Hearts
Whether your tendency is to save or to spend really isn’t the issue here (obviously, there are examples of positive and negative applications on both ends of the spectrum). Wisdom in our work and wealth is an issue of the heart. Do we really believe that everything that we own is God’s (Psalm 24:1)? Would an evaluation of where we store our treasures indicate a worldly or eternal focus (Matthew 6:19-21)? When we pull away from the chaos and really take an honest look into our hearts, are we serving God or money as our master (Matthew 6:24)? For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
God is Worthy of Our First and Our Best
If you’ve ever invited a friend to your church for the very first time, chances are your pastor has preached on tithing (hilarious, but seriously… ?!). All kidding aside, we tend to shy away from this topic at all costs, but oh the privilege of giving God our first and our best! When we humbly remember the cross and all that we have in Christ (Philippians 3:8), and when we have full trust that God will supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19), our worldly desires quickly fade away in the light of His glory and grace.
Our culture gives us a mixed message. It says: make lots of money and spend it on yourself; get an identity by the kind of clothes you wear and the places you travel to and live. But also do some volunteer work, care about social justice, because you don’t want to be just a selfish pig. However, Christians’ attitudes toward our time and our money should not be shaped by our society; they should be shaped by the gospel of Christ, who became poor so that we could become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). – Tim Keller
Still not sure how to pursue wisdom in your work and wealth? Start by pursuing Jesus. Wisdom personified – the life and example of Jesus – and a heart set on your First Love will lead the way. Father, let it be said of us…
She honored God with her wealth;
She gave her best, holding nothing back.
She invested in eternity instead of earthly gain, because Jesus is her greatest treasure.
*Let’s talk: What is God speaking to your heart this week through His Word regarding your work and your wealth? Let’s spur each other on in the comments today…
At His feet,
Want to know more about our Walking in Wisdom study? You can find it here!
Recently I injured myself at my home and have been unable to work. This is my only source of income. I just moved into my own place two weeks prior to this injury. Fear swept over me to say the least. Satan had a field day with my mind. I knew that I couldn’t work with this injury. My dr took me out of work for three weeks. That meant three weeks of no pay. How would I pay my bills and buy groceries? I had put everything I had into getting this place and I had confidence in knowing my job awaited. But God changed things up. He wanted me to look to Him for all resources.
Since then I’ve just allowed God to have it all. This is His house. These are His bills. It’s even His job. On February 1, all of February’s bills were paid in full. My church loaded up my kitchen cabinets with more than enough groceries and gave me gift cards for more groceries and gas cards. My job…I’ve been promoted and will receive and increase of pay with this promotion once I return on the 14th.
Sometimes putting God first seems impossible with our human eyes, but once we get ourselves out of the way and just allow Him to do what He can do, well, let’s just say that life seems to be much more freeing.
I’m praising God today for how He is working all things for my good.
Marie, I Praise God for the bountiful provisions He provided. When we trust God to provide and He does so much more it just makes me weep with joy and thanksgiving. May He continue to richly bless you.
Marie,
Thank you for being with us and sharing your story. Praise God for the blessings given to you at a time of great need and faith that He would provide! I pray for your continued recovery and healing, God Bless You.
Blessings abound Marie! What a beautiful testimony of your faith and God’s faithfulness, which never waivers.
Yes, let us let God do what G9d does best!
Hope you are recovered well from your injury or illness. All by God’s grace.
To Him, all glory and honor for all that He is and does. Amen
Oh Whitney, thank you for sharing that story. No wonder the Bible tells us to be like children. Your daughter’s story is a lesson to us all about giving to God! I had tears as I read this. Thank you!
Jeannie, wasn’t it a great story? So humbling for me. Made me take a step back and evaluate what I am need to be doing. Thank you for joining us!
“Wisdom in our work and wealth is an issue of the heart.” It always comes back to the condition of my heart, doesn’t it! Tuesday’s passage struck hard: “Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord, but those of blameless ways are His delight.” I don’t think of my heart as crooked, but when I compare myself to the word ‘blameless’, it is clear that I fall short. I need to be honest with myself. I have a crooked heart. It really can’t be trusted. I need to be rescued from my crooked heart – and I have been! Because of Jesus, I am not an abomination – I am a delight to God. What a beautiful gift I have been given!!
Gail…isn’t it a great feeling to know that God is with us always, crooked hearts and all? I saw this often about these studies, but they are always something that hits home with me. Thank you so much for joining us!
I echo Jeannie! What a Beautiful story and we all need to listen to God. Keep the Faith.
Looking back on our journey with Christ, I have to laugh at our first experience with giving! We had just been invited to a Bible-preaching church in our area; and although we had made attempts at attending the church my parents had brought us up in our childhood, it never “stuck” for our family since we had been married and had our own children. After attending the “new-to-us” church and responding to the Gospel, we began giving what we thought was more than generous—one dollar at each service, which meant Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening! Wow! Three whole dollars! Kinda made us feel really good about ourselves (this was our new, uneducated Christian thinking)! At the same time as we had begun our journey with Christ, the young pastor saw the most growth this little church had known with several young couples beginning to attend which spurred him on to beginning a New Christian’s Class on Thursday evening. We were enthralled with this new way of believing (although the head knowledge was there, that’s as far as our belief had gone), and joined gladly with several other couples of our same age. It was wonderful! He taught us right from his college notes so we, basically, we’re taking a college class! As would happen, we had a time of question and answer when one of the students asked, “What’s a tithee (that’s how she pronounced it)?” So he began to educate us on what giving to the Lord really meant, beginning with the Old Testament tithe! Oh my, our $3 became a big joke as we were finally challenged to give “hilariously” which we found out the word “cheerful” meant in these verses: “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a CHEERFUL giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God…Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!” 2 Corinthians 9:6-12, 15 ESV As quickly as our prideful three dollar donation became a joke, our life changed by this teaching of the fact that God is faithful and He rewards faithfulness when it is brought with a pure heart! Yes, we are more than thankful for His inexpressible Gift, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord…and for that faithful preacher man who taught us what a “tithee” is ??!
Pat…tithing is something that I struggle with. It is one of my goals for the year (the other being dedicating a specific word and verse and commit it to heart). My word for the year is discipline, discipline in faithfully following the Word and reading it every day, the other is disciplining myself with tithing. Thank you so much for your insight and perspective! Thank you for joining us!
Since we have been faithfully tithing the Lord has shown my husband & I time and again that He will provide for us. Even this month as our health insurance cost has gone up, he received a bonus that covered the difference! God is so good!
Sandy, the way He provides always leave me in amazement. His timing and dedication is outstanding and magnificent. Thank you for sharing and joining us!
Sandy,
Isn’t it amazing how perfect God’s timing and blessings are? Thank you so much for being with us and being brave in sharing your story. Praise God for his blessings on your family!
Give, to give big, give even when it hurts, even when your afraid and TRUST because I WILL return to you all that you gave and more.
To me it was talking about sacrificial giving. Cain offered some of his produce that he had grown, Abel offered the first fruits of his flocks. Abel offered something that had to be sacrificed. That animal would not grow up to give him more animals. It had to lose his life. I know grain offerings were important, too, and the point of the story was how Cain handled it. But it just reminded me of the “how” we offer our money and our time. How are our cheerful (hilarious) hearts doing with this, or is it just one more thing to check off on our to-do list. I am also struggling with tithing this year, and so far this year I’m doing fine, but it is a sacrifice, especially when the Lord says to go beyond and give an offering to someone who is really in need.
Birdie, you are right. It is the condition of our hearts (how we give cheerful or grudgingly) that is so important. Tithing is such a challenging spiritual discipline but when we trust God to be our Provider He often provides more than we ask for. May we all cheerfully give above and beyond with all we have and may our giving be a fragrant offering to Him.
This really hit home for me today. Since I haven’t been to church I haven’t been giving. I hadn’t given it too much thought, to be honest. I’m on temp. disability but I can still give a part of that to my grandma’s church (which is where I’ll be going too). That was part of my SOAP today. I’m very thankful for today’s verse and thank you Whitney for a beautiful blog post.
Shannan, praying for you during this season of being on disability. — In 2012, I went through a difficult season with my health and spent a lot of Sundays unable to get out to church, so your comment grabbed my heart. I hope you are able to get out to your grandma’s church soon and find connection and encouragement there. May God give you grace and courage to meet each moment and fully restore your health.
Hugs,
Lyli
I have seen people afraid to give because they are afraid that the people they are giving to will not use the funds ina smart way. But I heard a speaker once say that we must give as God directs. How the receiver uses what we give is between them and God. It’s not my business. Oh, how that freed me to give w/o trying to control things! As I tell my children “you worry about yourself”. If I do what God has called me to do and give what God has called me to give then I can walk away knowing I’ve been faithful.
Lacey, surrender is hard, but I agree with you that full obedience is what God requires.
May God give us courage.
Thanks for sharing this Whitney and for the story of your daughters care for the people in Syria, this message is for her…
My name is Fiona, I work for a British Christian charity called Tearfund. I’ve been based in Iraq for the last two years and recently travelled to Syria to help Tearfund setup a permanent base there. We’re going to be working with many Syrian churches and Christian charities to deliver much needed aid to Syrian people. I had the privilege of meeting with many churches in Syria who are doing amazing things for their communities. Many locals told me the reason they had food to eat was because of the church. These churches have been able to provide food to their communities because of the generous donations made by people like you. So I just want to encourage you to keep praying for the people of Syria. Pray for the believers there who are doing incredible work and pray that those believers grow in number everyday. God is definitely on the move in Syria 🙂
God bless,
Fiona