Seeing is Believing

(written for our MOPS newsletter)

This time of year commercials are overflowing with pictures of adorable, bright-eyed children creeping down stairs or peering around corners. The children are bathed in the softest of lights, and Christmas music serenades them as they attempt to catch a glimpse of Santa by their tree.

I remember a day from my childhood when I, too, peered around a corner, but I wasn’t spying on a jolly, round man sporting a beard and red clothes. Nope. This man was tall and thin, sporting a stained farm hat, mustache and faded work jeans. I was spying on my dad.

Well, I can’t remember if I was actually spying, but I was definitely eavesdropping! Dad was on the phone with the company to which he had sold a load of hogs. And as I listened in, I heard him give away all the money he had just earned! He told the livestock company to write the check, not to him, but to the mission agency of a missionary we supported.

I was in shock! As a kid, I had no idea how much a load of hogs was worth, but I knew it was a lot more than a hundred dollars. And in my mind we weren’t rich. Lots of our clothes were hand-me-downs or thrift store purchases. We usually only got one small gift for birthdays and maybe two for Christmas. It wasn’t like our family was overflowing with a money surplus. Why would my dad give away thousands of dollars?

Deep down I knew why. My dad was giving to where his treasure already was…with God. His treasure wasn’t a new car, a nicer house, an elaborate Christmas, designer clothes, hobbies or giving his kids lots of toys. My parents’ treasure was their relationship with God, which affected everything from dad’s daily prayer time on the tractor to their money.

I can’t say I’ve given very often to the point of true sacrifice, be that time, money or service. I’m ashamed of that because it is my sacrifices that will show my children what I truly treasure. My parents taught my brothers and me a lot of knowledge about God, but it wasn’t just talk. As a kid, seeing was believing.

Need another example for giving? Look no farther than Jesus entering this sin-crusted world to save rebels. I love the beauty of Christmas, the celebration of the Messiah’s arrival as a baby, the marvel of his first night on earth – the shepherds, the manger, the angels, the amazing joy.

But don’t forget to look to the end. To the last night. To the night when “Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world…Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

Loved to the end. To death. To death on a cross so he could give us life. God loved us with the ultimate sacrifice, yet required NOTHING in return.

So what will I give so my children can see my treasure? For them, seeing is believing. Will they believe I treasure God’s gift more than anything?

“…Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world,

he loved them to the end.” John 13:1