The wallet

Ephesians 4:8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”

One of the paradoxes of Christmas when you are a father is receiving gifts from your kids. It's kind of weird logically, as I give them the money and then they turn around and bring a gift back to me. If you aren't careful, you could say that the whole thing is stupid so let's just quit it all. That was my stance until this year. My son Cal gave me a red and synthetic bamboo wallet. The price of the wallet was $7, and it has been a while since I have sported a wallet with Velcro and zippers, but since Cal gave it to me, I do not see it as cheap. Why? Because my son took the time to pick it out and bring it home to me as an offering of love. It really doesn't matter I gave Him the money, His heart involvement turned a cheap wallet in to a rich gift of love to me. Man that wallet has taught me much in the last 7 weeks.

I believe that God is after us bringing Him offerings that spring from a faithful heart. We can not give God back anything he hasn't given to us, so we need to humble our own view point of our offerings. Too many times we want to focus on what the offering looks like in the eyes of men, and not the degree of faithfulness of the heart that gives it. For example, it amazes me how people treat me as I ready to go on mission trips. It's like it is some really special glamorous offering that is super special. Let me tell you that yes it is a special privilege to teach in mostly unreached parts of the world, but the moment my heart sees that as anything better than Cal's $7 wallet, I am on extremely thin ice of pride. We make deacons out of the people who give the most money and name buildings after others who do the same? Isn't that elevating one's ability to make and donate money as a marker if true faith? The only marker God is concerned with is the loyalty of the obedient soul of the giver, not the magnitude of teh gift in the eyes of men.

In Ephesians 4:8 above Paul is saying that he set us free from our captivity (including self worship of pride). He gave us gifts to give back to Him and to others and we ought to just be happy to be in His kingdom. We can't repay Him as it is His currency, the blood of Christ. I pray that I have a simple desire to find out what is born in the heart of God and respond as an offering no matter how that looks. Sometimes that will look glamorous and daring to those who know you, most of the time no one else even knows besides you and God.

So how do you view your offerings to God (assuming you have some)? Is there even a hint of self exaltation in the giving? If so I don't think that aroma will be very pleasing to Him. It is something that we all must work through as we seek to put our flesh to death by carrying our cross daily.

And parents, lets don't miss any opportunity to teach of God's unmerited favor towards us, even $7 synthetic bamboo wallets. One of the truest markers of someone in the kingdom is a default setting of worship to the one who saves us and gives us gifts along the way. One of the biggest markers of someone outside the kingdom is when the question is asked ,"How will this offering to God promote me in the eyes of men".

I know them both first hand.