#WISDOMSample

Pretend

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege to do a woman’s memorial service. She was a widow who was on a fixed income and was a Godly woman. She just started on our prayer team and really jumped into the community here. Her sister and her husband were cleaning out her home and they found her Bible. They noticed a cleared check for $5 made out to the church in the middle of the Bible on the page with 2 Corinthians 9:5-8:

So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

They then found her bank account and the balance was $6.71. You do the math. This woman always gave with a cheerful heart. It didn’t matter if it was her money, or the way she treated family, or the way she was there for a friend or even a stranger. She gave of herself.

Our reading today says, “One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another person pretends to be poor; yet has great wealth.”

Are you the person who is pretending to be rich but you don’t make good financial decisions and are actually in debt? Do you tell people you have more than you really do? Or do you pretend to be the poor person with humility about what you have? Do you give more than you receive?

So…who will you pretend to be today?