MONDAY

Deuteronomy 16:17

• What can you give to God?

I was minding my own business in the middle of church when I saw something that sent me scrambling to my notes app to write down, because I was certain I’d tell this story in a sermon at some point and didn’t want to forget what I’d seen.

It was offering time, and the deacons were passing around the plates. One of my favorite families—the Pearsons—received the plate. Little Melissa was drawing as she typically did during church. Mom and Dad passed the plate to Melissa, who passed it to even littler brother, Joshua. Joshua, in the middle of eating goldfish crackers, stared at the plate with the dollar bills in it. I could almost see his mental monologue. I don’t have any money. But everyone puts money in this plate. The plate is for Jesus. I want to help Jesus. But what do I have?

Josh is creative, I’ll give him that. He gave a serious look at the bag of goldfish in his hands. And in a moment of pure sacrifice, he took a deep breath and put his little baggy into the offering plate.

What can you give to God?