When Doug asked if I would be
available to preach this Sunday, I asked him what was the sermon series, and
what text was scheduled for this week.
Doug’s response was there would be several weeks on giving but no
specific text was assigned for the week.
He also reminded me it was Mother’s Day which made me think these two
topics are not usually placed together.
To satisfy the Mother’s Day aspect, here is a story I would imagine many
of you have heard, but it also makes a small bridge to generosity and giving.
A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she
was fixing supper, and he handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing
on. After his mom dried her hands on an
apron, she read it, and this is what it said:
For cutting grass: $5.00 – For
cleaning up my room this week: $1.00 –
For going to the store for you: $.50 –
Baby sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25 – Taking out the garbage: $1.00 – For getting a good report card: $5.00 – For cleaning up and raking the
yard: $2.00 Total owed: $14.75
Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see
the memories flashing through her mind.
She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he’d written on, and this
is what she wrote:
“For the nine months I carried you while you grew inside me. No Charge. – For all the nights that I’ve sat
up with you, doctored and prayed for you:
No Charge. – For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve
caused through the years: No Charge. –
For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were
ahead: No Charge. – For the toys, food,
clothes, and even wiping your nose: No
Charge. – When you add it up, Son, the cost of my love is: No Charge.”
When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were
big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight up at his mother and said, “Mom,
I sure do love you.” And then he took
the pen and in great big letters he wrote:
“PAID IN FULL.” John (Gibby)
Gilbert
In II Corinthians 8:1-9, Paul
commends the Corinthians for their excelling in faith, speech, and knowledge,
and he exhorts them to excel in generosity which he called “an act of grace.” It is from the II Corinthians passage where I
get the sermon title for this week.
Proverbs is also a book which encourages generosity in giving. I know I can be more generous, and I suspect
almost all of us have room for improvement in this area. Below are some verses from Proverbs to look
at before we gather together on Sunday.
We will look at these together in worship, but if you have time read
these verses (and II Corinthians 8:1-9) in preparation for God’s working in our
lives to grow in our generosity in response to God’s great love for us.
- Proverbs 30:7-9 – What is the overarching question in this prayer, and what is the underlying assumption in these verses?
- Proverbs 10:16 – This verse describes both a righteous and a wicked person. How would you define these two different type of people?
- Proverbs 11:1 – The word abomination is found in this verse. What are some other words which can be used to describe this condition.
- Proverbs 11:4 – What do you think of when you hear the words “the day of wrath?”
- Proverbs 18:10-11 – What does the author mean when he uses the term “strong city?”
- Proverbs 11:24 – What do we learn from this passage about the benefits of our generous giving, and the warnings about withholding what God has blessed us with?
