The Blessed Life

As I sat in my office the other day, busy doing whatever it was that I felt to be important, I felt the presence of my 6 year old Gabe at my side. I looked up to see him with a both hands full of change, totaling somewhere around a dollar. Tears were forming in his eyes.

“Son, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong”, he said. “I want to give you all the money in my 'Shrek' piggy bank.”
“I can’t take that” I said. I felt my Spirit telling me to take it but I resisted.
“Dad, I want to give you all my money”, he said now with a tear rolling down his cheek.
I too began to feel a lump forming in my throat. “Alright,” I conceded, as if I had a choice.

He began to lay his treasure out before me. I told him I had something for him as well. I reached into my wallet and pulled out a $5 bill. His eyes got as big as saucers. You would have thought I had given him a million dollars.

“Gabe, because you gave me all you had, I want to give you this. You see, like your daddy, God loves it when we give to Him. And when we give everything we have, He will always give back more than we gave.” I think this life lesson catapulted me into the fatherhood hall of fame. I felt like I had taught him a great lesson, but the real life lesson was coming in about an hour.

I heard my 4 year old, Luke shaking his 'Hulk' bank until one coin hit the dresser. He slowly approached me with a little smirk.

“Dad, because I want $5, I wanted to give you this penny” he said slowly and deliberately. Silence that felt like an eternity ensued.

What was I to do? I’m not sure this was inspired, but I repeated the same lesson as before. I also called a family meeting to announce that this exchange rate was officially over.

A more perfect picture has never been portrayed of us. Some approach the Father with a feeling of gratitude and thanks…bringing everything they have to the King. There is little expected in return, but a heart that says “it’s all yours, Lord.” He pours out blessings beyond our wildest expectations. The Lord will reward a heart like this. He can trust a heart like this.

Others approach the throne with expectation and empty pockets. We bring nothing in the way of sacrifice to the Author of Life, but believe that we are owed something. God have mercy on us for our selfishness.

If you’ve gotten this far, and believe this is all about money or tithing, you’re wrong. What we bring to the Lord is our lives. We bring Him our children, our finances, our spouses, our everything. Bring it all to the Lord and lay it on His altar. The Lord will bless you as He sees that you are trustworthy with what you’ve been blessed with.

God promises us that if we bring him everything, we won’t be disappointed. Why do we still hold back in unbelief?
So, no more shaking your ‘Hulk’ bank until one penny finds its way through the opening. Bust your ‘Shrek’ bank open and lay your lives before the Lord. You will be richer in spirit because of your faith. It will change your heart, your marriage and your life.