July 19: Spoonful of Sugar

During church this morning, the campers from music and drama camp gave their final performance. When they finished their excellent performance, the service continued with a prayer and then an offering. The boy sitting by me asked, "when will we be done with this?" I told him, "Soon. Right now they're taking an offering so that the church has money to do camps like this." He responded positively and waited patiently. 

His reaction got me thinking: it's easier to do non-preferred tasks when you receive something in the end. (It's easier to take your medicine with a spoonful of sugar.) However, Jesus said himself that it is more of a blessing to give than it is to receive. Some of those people in the congregation today may not have emptied their pockets--after all, what benefit would they receive?--but had they known that a child was on stage because of someone's giving, maybe the cash would've flowed out. 

Now, I know I can't change what happened today, but I can change what happens tomorrow. You (and I) now both know that there is someone on the other side receiving the gift. And while we may not know that we will receive anything in return, "It is more blessed to give than it is to receive." (Acts 20:35)