I’d heard that you can’t outgive God. In August 1984, I saw how that’s true.
As a recent college graduate, I had seen God’s favor. He had blessed with the wife of my dreams and a job that humanly speaking was beyond my reach. Then I passed the CPA exam in one attempt (98% failed the first time) and received a $300 bonus from my employer – a ton of money back then, at least to me.
Knowing well my famous frugality, Anna pounced on this unexpected influx of cash, lobbying for a TV. And not just any TV. She wanted a color TV?! Seriously? That could cost $100 or even the entire $300 for a nice one. Well, a TV had to wait because God impressed me to give that $300 back to Him. So I did. God’s refusal to be outgiven, though, changed my life.
I had our church give $100 each to our three ministers, including Kent, our Youth Pastor (a friend from college). A few days later, I got a frantic call from Kent and his wife, Vonda, to go to their apartment. In tears, Kent and Vonda shared how they absolutely HAD to have $100 immediately, so they had cried out to God and trusted Him to provide. Well, they immediately received an anonymous gift from the church of exactly $100. They didn’t know what to do, so they called us because they HAD to tell somebody. Oh, what a great time we had with our friends, celebrating God’s faithfulness. And what a gift from God back to us . . . seeing our friends’ joy was a gift far beyond our little act of obedience!
Lessons from giving
To this day, Kent and Vonda never learned who gave that $100 (well, they’ll know now), but they learned again that a loving God answers prayers. Indeed. And I learned two other lessons that I couldn’t forget and wouldn’t want to:
- You can’t outgive God.
- God wants to use you as the answer to other people’s prayers.
By the way, Anna did eventually get a color TV (the $100 kind), but she’ll always remember how God used that little gift to stir our belief that He watches, He cares, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). In the many years since, I’m learning how generosity is about so much more than money. Generosity is the overflow of character. It’s how we thank God for what He has done, not how we grease the skids to get more. It’s not a transaction or exchange with God; it’s being a conduit of His blessings for others.
Generosity flows from full hearts that believe God loves you and believes in you. It’s not name-it-and-claim-it, blab-it-and-grab-it, or believe-it-and-receive it. God invests in you and wants his investment back, with interest. That’s why Jesus taught about the master who invested talents in three servants. The one unfaithful servant received his just reward – punishment. But the two faithful servants received even more talents, plus their master’s praise and joy (Matthew 25:21).
Although Anna and I often fall short of God’s standard of generosity, we’ve seen God miraculously use our gifts of money, time, and parenting training. Sometimes, we get back financial blessings, but normally not. And that’s the best part – giving expecting nothing in return.
When you sacrificially give, you’re acting like God the Father who “gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life” (John 3:16). You’re serving like Jesus who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). And you’re loving “Him because He first loved us” (I John 4:19).
God doesn’t need your $300, and you don’t need a new color TV. But we need to see how God wants to use us to bless others. We need to envision the joy of trying to outgive God, although He won’t let that happen . . . just like He did that day in August 1984 through Kent and Vonda.
God gives back more than we could ever imagine in ways we couldn’t imagine. His gifts may not be what the world wants, but it’s exactly what we need. And it’s what others need, if only we’ll be conduits of God’s blessings in doing what He created us to do – bring Him glory.
Questions: How have you seen God refuse to be outgiven? How could you sacrificially give back to Him? How has God used someone to be the answer to your prayers, and how have you been that too for someone else?
Your gift to Kent and Vonda is somewhat like a personal experience from several years ago. I was getting rid of an old refrigerator that was in good working order, then just before putting it up for sale, felt a compulsion to call the church to see if they knew of someone who might need it. Bingo! A new seminary student and his family had just that need.
Ed,
I love how God gives us those little nuggets of hope when we obey Him. Great example of obedience & God’s blessing. Godspeed!