No big deal

Jim was part of a mission team going to Paraguay, needing to raise about $5000 in six months.

While his team members sent out letters and held car washes to help raise the funds, Jim put it off.

“It’s not a big deal,” he said. “If I need to, I’ll just take out a loan.”

That’s what he did, too, when the time for turning in money for the trip came. He was the first to have the full amount, because he’d just signed the loan papers and had the money in hand.

But three weeks before the team was to leave, their director got an interesting phone call. A donor wanted to finish out the funds for any members who didn’t yet have their full funds.

Most of the team members were close to having enough money for the trip and this donor gave them the rest of their funds.

Except Jim, who had chosen to get the money his own way. He got nothing from the donor.

Paul wrote, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Cor 9:8)

Think of what we miss when we do it our way.