WHEN YOU GIVE OUT OF LOVE

     We have added this section to our website to challenge our readers to a life of sacrifice.  We in the United States have so much that we are always tempted to become complacent.  Therefore, we need to continually remind ourselves that, "Unto whomsoever much is given, much is required."
     

     The Bible teaches that there are three characteristics of true giving.  First, we are to give in faith. 

     Secondly, we are to give joyfully.  Thirdly, we are to give out of love.

      Several years ago in one of the central African countries, a missionary who was ministering to children, called them together and said, "Christmas is coming soon, this is Jesus' birthday.  Would you like to give him a gift?"

     They hardily agreed.  But the missionary said, "I knew what would probably happen.  These children were the poorest of the poor.  They had nothing to give."

     When the time came for their gifts, a few pennies were given and some trinkets they had made or had been given to them by passers-by.  But one little girl brought 85 cents wrapped in a napkin.

     The missionary said, "Many who hear this story will not understand, because 85 cents means little to nothing to countries like the United States, but in that part of Africa and at that time in history it was a small fortune."

     "When I saw what she had, in my astonishment I asked, Honey, where in the world did you get that much money?"

       She replied, "Sir, Jesus gave everything for me and I wanted to give everything to Him, so I found a plantation owner and told him I would work for him the rest of my life at the hardest work he wanted to give me if he would pay me for my life's work in advance and give me one day off to bring my gift to Jesus.

     At this point the missionary said, "tears welled up in my eyes, my heart raced, I couldn't stand to look her in the face, so I turned away.  All I could think of was this beautiful little girl will never know anything the rest of her life but hard work, under the hot boiling sun of Africa, from the time she gets up in the morning until he goes to bed at night.  She will probably never be loved, never be able to marry and never have any children.  All she will know will be hard work."

     No doubt, many people hearing this story will say, "She was stupid.  That was ridiculous and idiotic.  If she wanted to give a gift, why so much?  Couldn't she have given less?  Couldn't she have given part of the money and kept the rest?  The answer is obviously, yes!  Then why did she give so much?"

     The missionary replied, "When you give out of love, no gift is ever too much."

     This story broke my heart when I read it.  I cried, my heart raced and I trembled.  The thought kept running through my mind, "How little we know of the Biblical kind of giving.  When you give out of love, no gift is ever too much."

THEY CRIED BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING ELSE TO GIVE

       A few years ago while participating in a mission conference, Dr. Ken Moon told this story.  He had just returned from a mission trip to Nigeria.  While there, he attended a church whose pastor presented a group of young people who has recently been called of God as missionaries.

     He began by calling the 12 young people to the front.  "These are your missionaries, but they can't go unless we support them."  He then called for the ushers to pass the offering plates.  Dr. Moon said, "I knew what was going to happen.  These people were very poor and had almost nothing to give."  Sure enough, when the plates were turned in there were a few pennies and not much else.

     The pastor looked at the offering rather sadly and said, "This won't do.  We can't support our missionaries with this.  We have to do better."  They waited for a few moments and people started coming to the front of the church and taking off all the clothes they could spare and placing them an the altar.  "When they had finished,"  Dr. Moon said, "there was a stack of clothes higher than my head."  These would be sold and the money used to support their missionaries.

    The deacons then began passing through the congregation writing down something.

    "What are they doing?"  Dr. Moon asked the pastor.  "They are taking pledges.  Some of the members are able to give a calf, pig, goat or other things."  After the pledges had all been taken, there was silence for a few moments.

    Then someone began to sob loudly.  This swept over the congregation until all were crying.  Dr. Moon was very puzzled, "Why are they crying?" he asked.  "They are crying because they have nothing else to give," the pastor answered.

    What happened here?  The people gave out of love, and when you give out of love, no gift is ever too great.

    I cried when I heard this story.  I thought of the many people I had heard whine because of what they were being asked to give, but I have never met anyone who cried because he had nothing else to give.  I thought, how little we know about true giving.