Outgiving God

We did not have a lot of money when I was young. There was often not much food in the house. When I was about 4, I was wishing we had a loaf of bread. But what could I do about it? I looked through my coins and found a two-dollar bill. “Can you buy some bread with this?” I asked my mom. She nodded and quietly took the money. I was so thrilled to be able to eat the bread that I had bought!

Sadly, the bread ran out and I only had coins left. A while later, as I was looking at my coins in the little envelope where I stored them, I discovered another two dollar bill, tucked inside. Wow! I ran out to my mom, waving it excitedly. “Look! We can buy some more bread!” She gave me a look, but again, took the money and went to the store.

Two dollar bills were replaced by toonies shortly after that. Years later, I had one two-dollar bill left. It is a collectible item now. I remarked to my mom that I was surprised I still had one, since I had kept spending them as a child. She smiled at me. “Do you know why you always had $2? I always snuck it back to you.” My mouth dropped open. “But why? How?” “I wasn’t about to let my little girl buy food for the family" she said. "We managed somehow.” Then she pulled me into a big hug. Suddenly the $2 meant even more to me. It was a picture of how you cannot out-give God.

At teen camp, I heard sermons where speakers confidently asserted that you could not out give God. “He always gives more back,” one had said. “His shovel is bigger.” I decided to test this one time. Could I really out give God? I was still living at home, so it wasn’t like I had a lot to lose, but I did have some expenses. I decided one month that I would give my whole paycheck. I had no other source of income at that time. A few days later, I received a letter in the mail. It was some sort of rebate; the first one I had ever received. And wouldn’t you know it? It was for MORE than I had given.

Now, of course, this isn’t advice. I’m not telling you that you need to give 100% of your paycheck (unless God asks you to). This isn’t a get-rich scheme either. Sometimes God blesses in spiritual and non-physical ways. But I have found He always gives me the most when I’m an open vessel, ready to distribute what He gives. All through my life, I have found Him to be faithful. He is no man’s debtor…His shovel truly is bigger!