Proverbs 11:25 "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."
On Saturday, I sat outside in the sun at my son's soccer game. The wind was gently blowing, but frankly, it was stinkin' hot for being so early in the season. The sun was beating down on my already sunburned arms from last week's game. Now, I've never been a big fan of oranges...they're just too messy for me. But as the sun was beating, I started to think how refreshing an orange would be about that time. You see, it was our turn to bring oranges for the half time snack. We were well into the second half of the game, so I went on the hunt for some leftovers. I found several bags were left, still on ice. Wow! For someone who doesn't really care for oranges, I inhaled in a matter of minutes the equivalent of about three entire oranges. "Refreshing" doesn't even begin to describe it.
Now think about it. What if you could offer ice cold, fresh oranges to someone in the hot Texas sun? What if you saw someone out there who was dehydrated, and you could offer exactly what they need? How would that make you feel? Take a look at the verse to memorize for this week. Proverbs 11:25 "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."
Our Sunday morning worship service was a tremendous example of this verse. Our church is involved in a community development project in a little village called Bukabwa, located in the Mara region in Tanzania, East Africa. Bukabwa is a community of about 5,000 people that before a few weeks ago, literally had no hope. Two of our pastors and my husband Frank just returned from Bukabwa last week. Our church's vision for this community is to not only meet their spiritual needs (there's no church even in this entire area) but also to partner with the African Inland Church to teach them micro-finance, transforming little by little, the entire community. Our pastor shared with us that to sponsor a pastor for one year, build a church building and a home for the pastor next to it, it will take only $5,000. He then did an uncharacteristic move. He asked our church family to donate on the spot to meet this need.
Now, he didn't just take an offering. He asked people to come forward and lay their offering on the platform. I sing on the worship team, and I can't even start to tell you what this did for our team as we sang. "Give me one pure and holy passion." People started lining the aisle. "Give me one magnificent obsession." One by one they came forward and left their offering on the alter. There was a line to get to the front of the church. "Give me one glorious ambition for my life. To know and follow hard after You."
God's people gave generously Sunday morning. It refreshed me. It refreshed so many on our worship team that at one point in the response song, several of us were so filled with tears that we couldn't even sing. I don't know the final numbers yet, but I do know that there was a lot more than $5000 given.
As if God didn't already show up and show off, a friend unexpectedly handed me a generous donation today for the mission trip to Colombia my daughter and I will be going on this July. Fundraising has been slow for us, and this gift definitely was an unforeseen blessing. Half of the money is due by the end of the month, and we are still far from that goal, but this gift definitely helped boost us closer. Yes, in more than one way, God's people brought ice cold refreshing oranges to church.
We have probably all been recipients of unexpected blessings like I've mentioned above. But, how many of us have been the giver? Have you ever given out of obedience, even though you don't really have the money to do so? The Bible is very clear about the principle of giving. Give, and it will come back to you. I've seen it over and over again. (Luke 6:38) There's been several times in our family's life that we knew God was definitely telling us to give, even though we really didn't have the means to do so. I can testify that every time we've been obedient in giving, God has refreshed us in return. Sometimes the refreshment is monitary, but always it's spiritually refreshing.
Break out the oranges and give where God leads. Abundant, refreshing blessings are waiting. Try it. You might just find you like oranges!
---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com
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