Little to one, much to another

Little Johnny just had his birthday the other day. He got lots of gifts; candies, toys, clothes, shoes, writing pad, storybooks, and his favorite, chocolate bars. It’s a Sunday, and Johnny has decided to carry some chocolate bars to church, so that in case he feels hungry, there’s something he can feast on. He also was planning to testify about how wonderful his sixth birthday celebration went.

When little Johnny went to Sunday school, he saw something strange. While he expected the school to be fun, he saw the face of the new kid, Nancy, and she didn’t look so well. Nancy looked like she had not eaten for the last two days, and she looked sickly, but she was new in Sunday school. “Why on this day must I see this?”, little Johnny thought to himself. 

While Johnny was lost in thoughts, the Sunday school teacher got in, and called Nancy to her. Ms. Adeline, the Sunday school teacher is such a cool generous teacher, and this time she checked in her bag if there was anything she could offer to Nancy, but there was nothing. Johnny looked at the face of Ms. Adeline as tears watered her eyes because of Nancy’s situation that she could do nothing about. 

While Ms. Adeline was praying silently for Nancy, Johnny reached to his pocket and picked a chocolate bar. He thought to himself, “what can this do?”. When Ms. Adeline said “Amen!”, she saw Johnny reaching to her with a chocolate bar. Nancy looked at little Johnny and said, “this means much to me…”, as she gasped. Johnny wasn’t convinced it really was much, so he decided to reach to his pocket again, there was one last bar left.

As Nancy was about to finish the chocolate, Johnny got hold of the bar in his pocket, and thought, “if I give her this, I won’t have what to eat. If I don’t give, she might die..”. Johnny wept as he pulled the last bar, and gave to Nancy again. Ms. Adeline asked him, “Why are you doing this?”, Johnny looked her straight in her eyes, while he wept, and said to her, “that exactly is why Jesus brought me here today, to meet the needs of Nancy”. 

Ms. Adeline looked at little Johnny, and didn’t know what to do. Johnny wasn’t about to rest, he asked the teacher, “didn’t you pray for Nancy?”, Ms. Adeline told him, “…Yes Johnny, yes! C’mon here”, as she cleaned her eyes. “Why ask that, Johnny?”, Ms. Adeline continued. Johnny looked at her and said, “because…”, but Nancy interrupted, “God heard you prayers and answered through Johnny”. “Yes”, Johnny agreed with Nancy, “God just answered your prayers”. 

A few minutes later, Nancy got energy to do soft things. “God is great!”, Johnny said as he looked at Nancy gain energy. What didn’t count so much to little Johnny was more than enough for poor Nancy’s need.

After the school ended, Johnny told his mom what happened, and asked her, “What if I give all? What will that gift do?”

This story reminds me of another little boy who saw a need when Jesus had the thousands of people congregating to listen to him, but they had not eaten. The poor boy handed his fish and bread, but the question was, “what much can it do?”, but he gave it anyway. He had no idea that the little in his eyes would be more than sufficient to feed the multitude. He gave all he had. Was he going to be feel hungry any time soon? I don’t know if he thought about that, but he gave it anyway. 

This also reminds me of how God had to give the only son he ever had to make peace for the sin that man was supposed to die for. Even though Jesus was all He had, He didn’t spare. 

What is it that compels this selfless giving? What could push a little boy to meet the need of a young girl with his chocolate bars? What could convince a young boy to hand over his supposed lunch? Even though God can do all things, why wouldn’t He figure out a way to make peace with people, and not give the only son?

The challenge though today is that there are not many people who can be likened to little Johnny or the little boy who gave Jesus fish and bread to feed the multitude. Not that people don’t want to give, but Johnny rather than bubbling with words to God, he decided to listen to God instead. Listening made him understand the role he was to play. Listening to God made him forfeit his will; to extend his birthday celebration to Sunday school, rather he clung to God’s will, giving freely to Nancy something that God had given him. This part of listening is what we have failed in so many times.

If we start listening to God intently, it’ll be much easier to do what’s right. As it is written, the word pierces to the dividing of bone and marrow. Something that has this power has the ability to dramatically change our lives. There’s another challenge though, the pictures we’ve made for ourselves, and glued to the store of our mind. This has made it so hard for us to understand what God says in as much as we hear from Him.

If we can transform by renewal of our mind, that we might stop conforming to the pattern of this world, we will get to know the will of God. What God says will then be easy for us to comprehend. If then people perish for lack of knowledge, then we might be saved, for we will be able to know the perfect will of God.

Even when we give the little we can offer, it’s important that:

1. Our giving should not be to make a name for ourselves like most contemporary philanthropists have done. If it be so, we can rest assured that the only rewards we can get are such from earth, such as fame and popularity.

2. Our giving should not be to make more profit like most business people do. If the only reason we give is to get back, then we will have become a noisy gong, for in that, we blow our own trumpet.

3. We should not give because we are tricking God into opening the flood gates of heaven to fill our stores. This is as selfish as the giving in 2 above. This is a corrupt way of giving. Many religious leaders have used this to get more from the desperate congregants, who in the end get nothing in turn.

4. Our giving should not be to fit in the society. When we give because others are giving, we become tails, people who just follow any waves that are tossed here and there.

5. Our giving must be out of obedience to God. If God asks for self giving, give yourself, not money, or animals. If He asks for money, give Him that, in that, you will be blessed.

6. Our giving must be through faith in God. If we don’t have faith in God, we can not hear from God. If we don’t have faith, our giving might be considered as the sacrifice of fools, these are detestable to God. Again, as it is written, whatever is not done in faith is sin. (Romans 14:23b).

7. Our giving must be out of love. All what matters in the life of the believers is faith that works through love.

8. Lastly, our giving must be cheerful. As it is said, God loves a cheerful giver.

I thank God that in the contemporary setting, there’s always an opportunity to give; from religious organizations, to charity organizations, to governments and to individuals. And I further thank God that no one has nothing to give, from time, to advice, to material things such as food, money, fabrics, and many more. I further thank God that He directs us on what to give, and when, and also how. 

If God has asked you to consider giving to us in support of what God is doing through us, click this link, or this for any other enquiries. 

Further Reading: Genesis 4:7