A Father who GIVES

Is this creepy?  It's not meant to be.  This is a photo I snapped with my phone yesterday: my dad speaking at the funeral of his friend.  His friend died, and his body is in that wooden box.  But, like it says in I Thess 4:13, we don't grieve the same way people without hope grieve.  We do grieve.  But we also rejoice, because we know that my dad's friend Tom is more alive now than he ever was during his 82 years on planet earth.

Do you go to funerals and think not just about the person who died, and their family, but also about your own life and your own family?  Am I the only narcissist that goes to weddings and thinks about my own wedding and about my kids and their weddings some day?  I was sitting at this funeral, and I was thinking about what folks might say about my dad someday when it's his funeral we're all attending - Lord willing years and years from now.  I'll bet ya a million dollars that one word that we'll hear over and over at my dad's funeral will be "generous".  And it's true.  My parents are the most generous people I know.  But their generosity comes from a very important place.  Their generosity comes from their personal understanding of God's generosity toward them, both physical and spiritual.  And God, in His kindness, first proved His generosity to my dad through physical provision.  I've heard the story many times, and I remember as a child being told that it was God's ways of showing my dad that He is aware of the details of my dad's life and that He cares about him...here's the story that my dad told at Tom's funeral - I'll post it here to give God the glory for drawing my dad to Himself, and thus changing the course of the lives of our whole family:

"When I started working at Irondale as the new associate principal, I pretty much rejected the existence of God. Tom was the school counselor, and became my friend.  He would talk to me often about spiritual issues and my spiritual position.  One day Tom came into my office and talked to me about a sophomore girl that was pregnant. He asked me if I noticed the ill fit and poor condition of her maternity clothes.   He then suggested that we buy her some new maternity clothes. I responded that if I were to give him $5.00 for her new clothes I would have to borrow $10.00 from him. He replied that was because I wasn’t tithing and giving back to God what God had given me. He then challenged me!   He said if I would try tithing for 2 months and I was not better off he would never talk to me about Christianity again.

This was a bold step. Tom had faith in God and trusted HIS way. He said “Bernie, you can’t out give God."

I accepted the challenge. My first thought was how can I blow this deal? How can I assure failure, and get him to stop preaching Jesus to me? I know, I will go back 3 months and give 10% of that 3 months of wages.

We were paid every two weeks. At the end of the first two weeks, I told Patti that I didn’t know how we were going to make it until the next payday as we only had $50.00 uncommitted. The next day I received a $50.00 check in the mail from my mother along with a note that said “last summer when you wallpapered our upstairs you wouldn’t take any money. I want to at least give you something toward the cost of the wallpaper.”

 I thought what a coincidence!

Two weeks later, once again I talked to Patti about how concerned I was about how we were going to make it between paydays. Again, the next day I received a check for $125.00 from my brother who had owed me for a couple of years.

 WOW, another coincidence?

A week or so later, Patti called me at school and said I needed to bring home some baby food for Jonny. I said “we don’t have money for baby food. He is old enough to eat ground up regular adult food.” About an hour later Patti called and said not to worry - her friend, Carol, just stopped over with two grocery bags full of baby food. Danny was no longer eating baby food and she thought we might be able to use it.

Hmm,  maybe not a coincident after all.

OK, Tom – you were right. We cannot out give God!

As we worked together for the next several years he would challenge me time and time again in his quiet and gentle way. He was never condemning or judgmental. He was always thoughtful, patient, kind, respectful and considerate. Even when I was clearly off base.

Tom was a positive influence and an important factor in my life!"

Yes, Dad, I join you in celebrating Tom's life and thanking God for his influence in your life.  And I also thank God for using you to demonstrate God's generous love to countless others as well.