Sharing the Load

A Mere Colt
   "I have so much to offer God," my pride calls from within. I can see a vision of what he can do with me, with my life, and I am excited. Day after day, I have waited in expectation. Surely the time has come for me to be of great service——I have heard the Lord will be passing this way today. So, patiently, I wait a little longer. And then I see two men nearing. I stand a little taller because I know these men are sent from God. But as I stand there, they bypass me and go to my donkey — a mere colt.
   "Why are you doing this?" I ask.
   "The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly," the men answer. Then they walk away.

God Owns — We Manage
   In our capitalistic system, we are allowed to own private property. We become owners through deeds, certificates, and other legal instruments. Ownership is part of the American dream. Most people would rather own than rent.
   As the legal owners of so many things, it is sometimes difficult for us to acknowledge that God is the real and ultimate owner of everything. He is the owner; we are the managers or caretakers of God's property. King David wrote, “The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). God is the landlord. We are the tenants. We possess, we oc-cupy, we use, we manage—but we don't own.

Get What You Give

   He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

   It stands to reason that the bigger the investment, the bigger the opportunity to gain.

   Another way of saying it: You get out of something in proportion to what you put in. Think about it. How much do you put in your envelope each Sunday? The specific amount isn't important. How much of YOU do you put in? How much as a representation of your love and thanksgiving? How much as a sacrifice? Do you give a dollar or two because it's easy to give? Or do you give a meaningful, significant amount?

Tiny Gestures

   Ali McGraw is known as an actress. She is also known for her exercise tapes and her artistic ability. What is little known about this gifted person is that she also sets aside time to serve the poorest of the poor. Every so often, she journeys to Guatemala to work with poverty-stricken children who are known as "the children of the dump."

   The children and their parents try to eke out an existence by sifting through garbage dumps hoping to find something of value which they can sell to get money for food. Imagine the lift they get when someone of substance and concern comes to their aid.