By BECKY CRISSMAN

becky.crissman@

cordeledispatch.com

 

As I have admitted before, I am a regular “Facebooker.” Those of you that log on to social media are fully aware there is no telling what you may see, hear or read on the internet…. This most especially applies to Facebook. You will see plenty of the good, the bad, the ugly. There are moments of complete insanity. Some posts will make you laugh, some will make you cry, others will make you angry. Then there are those that can touch your heart, and reach the depths of your soul.
Recently as I was logged on, trolling all the comments and posts from my online friends I ran across one that was truly inspiring.

It was a story a good friend of mine posted about her 4-year old son, Maxx. They attend Christ Episcopal Church right here in Cordele. Well according to my friend she and Maxx were helping with oblations during Sunday morning’s service. For those of you that do not know, oblation is a religious offering.

Maxx was approached by the church’s rector, Fr. Larry Williams, who held his hand out to the child. Now this gesture was probably meant to initiate a handshake, however, Maxx had something else in mind. Thinking the father was seeking an offering of him, Maxx, with all the innocence and purity of heart of a child his age, gave all he had to give. With no money in his pocket and without a second thought he gave Fr. Williams the gum he was actually chewing at the time. No I am serious, he reached in his mouth, pulled out his gum and laid it in the father’s hand. Now I am sure the church erupted with laughter because of the sheer humor of it. I certainly laughed when I read my friend’s telling of the story and laugh whenver I picture it in my head.

After drying my tears of laughter I stepped back and thought about what a beautiful example that little boy has set for us all. To most people it was just a piece of gum. He didn’t do it to be funny, although I am certain everyone got a good laugh out of it. I know his mom would have given him a monetary offering had he asked, but instead he chose to give from his heart. It was all he had to give.
Maxx’s story reminded me of another little boy that gave all he had.
John 6:1-14 gives account of that story…. It took place long before the world wide web and facebook even existed.

Verses 1-4 of that chapter set the tone for what  took place that day. The Jewish Passover Festival was near and Jesus had just crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee. He was followed by a large crowd who had heard of the signs He had performed by healing the sick. Jesus sat on a mountainside with His disciples and as He looked up He saw the great crowd coming toward Him.
In verse 5 Jesus turns to Philip and asks, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat.” Of course Jesus was merely testing Philip because he already had in mind what He was going to do. Philip replied saying, “It would take more than a half a year’s wages to buy enough bread to for each one to have a bite.”

It was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter who brought a young boy to Jesus. The boy had five small barley loaves and two small fish. Simon Peter asked “How far will this go among so many. There were 5,000 men there that day. Jesus instructed His disciples to have the men sit in the grass. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed it to those who were seated, as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. Not wanting anything to be wasted Jesus asked His disciples to collect any leftovers. They gathered twelve baskets from those 5 small loaves and 2 fish. There were 5,000 fed that day because one little boy gave all he had. Just like Maxx.

If we all gave so freely with so much love we could move mountains in the name of the Lord. Of course I am not just talking about money. I am talking about the three T’s of giving; Your Time, your Talents, and your Tithes. You can give your time by volunteering to teach a class at your church, If you sing then join the choir and sing your praises to Lord and whether it is $1 or $100 or even a stick of gum give from the heart.
Thank you Maxx for reminding us what it’s all about.
God Bless