Bring them here to me, he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Matthew 14:18-21
The inevitable had arrived. I’d put this off for weeks There was no more time to delay. I stared at the black ledger poking from a slot in my desk, then dragged it out along with my calculator and the giant stack of envelopes. Bill after bill dropped from the cover of the ledger. I shook my head …electric bill-$86, car loan-$200, car insurance-$75. The more envelopes I opened, the angrier I became. I’d seen enough. I slammed the pen on the desk and walked outside.
My wife had been sick for weeks and out of work for months. My vacation pay ended weeks ago as the hours were spent at her bedside. My boss graciously allowed me to take personal time off, but how would I pay these bills? I barely scraped enough money together to add gas to my car.
God, I’m at the end of my rope. I can’t do this alone but I don’t want charity either. Please send help.
After a walk, I found my way back to my desk with a cooler head and began the chore of sorting through the bills, prioritizing the payments. As I reached the bottom of the stack, there were three envelopes with no return address. Upon opening the first, I discovered a twenty dollar bill. The second contained another twenty dollars. My hands shook as I tore open the last…five more twenty dollar bills!
I picked up the phone and called my mom. “Mom, you know I will not accept charity. I am bringing this money over to you right now.”
“What money?” she asked. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
For the next two months, my anonymous donor continued to send provision. My bills were paid as my wife’s body slowly healed. God provided.
God’s perfect love trickles through his servants. Through two fish and five loaves, about five thousand people were fed. We find God’s love seeping through the lives of skeptics when miracles occur. We see God’s love through the hands of missionaries building shelters or feeding the needy. Later on, I discovered my mystery donor was my grandma. She loved me so much, she took the opportunity to share what little she had to send me mystery money.
I now look for those opportunities God reveals to give back. When I see someone in need, an envelope with provision finds its way to the mailbox. Are you in a position to share God’s provision as a mystery giver? Give.
Scott McCausey lives smack dab in the middle of the Michigan mitten. He has been married to Renee for eighteen years and they home educate their five children. He has worked as a laboratory manager for over twenty years and enjoys his new role as host of the famous blog talk radio show, Christian Devotions Speak UP! He is a 2010 Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference Devotional Winner.
Read Scott’s devotions.