About Giving and Receiving

by Mary

After my children all had their own homes, I was alone in the old family home.

As I would sit down to my meal, I would ask God's blessing on it and also pray that God would provide for the hungry who had no food.

One day I was convicted and asked myself, "What are you doing about giving food to the hungry?"

Then I reasoned that the only fair thing would be that I would give as much each month as I spent on food for myself.

So at the end of each month when I added for groceries and other eats, I made out a check for exactly that amount and gave it to "Food For the Hungry."

Now, I couldn't afford that, but I could less afford not to have my prayers answered because of my selfishness. I never mentioned this deal to anyone — it was just between me and God.

The following were some of the immediate results:

My friends had always been generous in giving me, from time to time, gifts of food and other things, but now it began to increase. I was given eggs, frozen fruit, fish, meat.

At my Bible studies, I always served coffee and baked something to go with it, and sometimes one or another would bring a treat. But now they would bring something almost every time, so I scarcely ever had to bake.

I also received gifts of money.

Les G. did some very needed electrical work for me — all gratis. He put in two new bedroom ceilings with free labor.

A prescription at the drug store was paid for me as a gift.

The chiropractor game me a 25% discount on my bill.

My medical insurance paid me more than I expected, and wrote they were happy to pay it to me!

The bill for help on my income tax was only a fraction of what I had expected to pay.

Last year the refund on my tax was $33, and this year over $120.

I had my snow tires removed, for which previously I had paid $2 a tire. This time he smiled and waved me on — no charge.

Then, to top it off, I received a round-trip ticket to my grandson's wedding in Longview, Washington.

Proverbs 19:17: "He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto to the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again."

YOU CAN'T LOSE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE LORD!