June Yates-Boykin

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          My face lit up when I opened the door to see my young friend standing on the other side, a big smile on his face.  Every now and then when in our part of town, this young man stops by for a quick hello.  His visits are always a bright spot in my day.  They started several years ago, and rarely last more than five to ten minutes.  Our conversations are usually about each other’s wellbeing, and I always manage to talk to him a little about Jesus and how much God loves him.

          I have known this young man his whole life.  He is kind, tenderhearted, and polite.  He has a great sense of humor and a wonderful smile.  Yet, his past is not without some major flaws and setbacks.  Even now as he pushes to move past it all, emotional struggles and destructive mindsets continue to frustrate his efforts, and he does not always handle it well.  Still, when he stops by he is most every time positive and cheerful.

          One day a few years back when I stepped out my front door he held out a closed fist to me, inviting me to reach out for something hidden between his fingers and palm.  Expecting something silly, I extended my open hand to rest under his.  What dropped from his hand to mine was a $20 bill. 

          Knowing he needed that money worse than I did, I tried to refuse it.  His face did not hide the disappointment.  This was his way, he explained, of trying to repay some of the help and support I have offered him over the years.  His insistence and my reluctance to send him away sad won out, and I kept the twenty.  Each and every time since then when he stops by it is with a $20 bill hidden in his palm for my benefit.  I always remind him it isn’t necessary, but he argues it is.  “You never know,” he once said, “I may need your help again someday.” 

          My attempts to talk him out of it have evolved into a simple question to make sure he has what he needs, knowing how he is going to respond, then a sincere expression of my appreciation. 

          Several weeks ago he dropped by again.  Again, his closed fist waited for my open palm to arrive underneath.   I reached out my hand to accept my $20 bill.  Instead, two shiny dimes fell into my hand. 

          My young friend laughed as I tried unsuccessfully to conceal surprise and confusion. His laughter put me at ease.  I could think of nothing to say, but he did. 

          “I don’t have any money today, but I didn’t want you to think I forgot about you,” he said, still grinning.  His visits are what let me know he is thinking about me, not the bills.  Somewhere in his heart, though, the two are connected.

          Trying not to tear up, I held the dimes tightly as we talked for a bit.  My heart went out to him.  I offered him some of his $20 bills back, but he refused.  He assured me he would be fine.

          Back in the house, I laid those dimes on my counter where I left them for several days.  I have no idea how many times I paused to look at them.  Sometimes I would lay my hands on them and pray.  Finally, I added them to a coin bank I have designated for our helps program at church, hoping that someone will someday be as blessed by them as I have been.

          Those two dimes remain more valuable to me than all the $20 bills he could bring to me in my lifetime.  Would I trade those two dimes for all the twenties were such an offer made?  I’m sure I would.  If it were a matter of needing money, the dimes would profit me nothing because the economy places little to no value on a dime.

          When I say those two dimes are more valuable to me than all the twenties, I’m talking about what they are worth to me in my inner being.  The twenties came when times were not so bad for my friend.  The dimes came when he had nothing to give, but gave anyway.  He presented me with two shiny dimes that didn’t find their way into my wallet.  They landed in my heart. 

          It is said that what something is really worth is what we will pay for it, or what we are willing to accept as payment for it.    The value of any given thing, then, is actually an individual assessment regardless of what the market establishes as its worth. 

          What makes those two dimes so valuable to me?  The sacrifice.  If my young friend had plenty of money, I would have likely had a sarcastic reaction to a measly twenty cents.  And that’s exactly what it would have been worth to me, 20¢.  But because he had nothing and gave anyway to show his love, those two dimes are worth more to me than if they had been diamonds of that size.

          God views our giving the same way.  The gospels tell the story of Jesus at church one day.  He was watching as the congregation gave their offerings.  A widow in the group threw in what would be to us two pennies.  He looked at those who put much more into the plate and said, “She gave more than any of you because you gave from your abundance; she gave from her need.”

          God’s value of that offering was not based on how much the church could buy with it or how many outreach programs it would finance.  It was based on the sacrifice behind it.  He not only measures our monetary giving that way, but also anything we give or do for the kingdom of God. 

          This world and the devil himself want us to believe that our little bit is not worth anything.  He wants us to think that the behind the scenes jobs such as offering water or janitorial services to the church are not valued as much as the large monetary offerings or the contributions of gifted musicians. 

          The truth is, an encouraging word and listening ear when we really don’t have the time to stop and we’re dealing with serious issues of our own touch the heart of God as much, if not more, than if we solved that person’s problem but it required no real effort on our part.  Suppose you had plenty of resources to help them out and all you had to do was make a phone call on go on about our way.  That is certainly not a bad thing, and we should do it.  But the greater value is placed by God on those things that may not go as far in the natural world, but required sacrificial giving on our part.  The sacrifice can be in any form.  Time, money, patience, or tiring physical or other such gift is more valuable to God when we have to set our own need and desires aside to give.

          Why do you suppose God gives such honor to what this world often looks down upon?  Here are three main reasons:

1.  Few people are willing to give cheerfully of their finances.  Even fewer are willing to take on any task they don’t want to do, inside or outside the church setting.  Yet, both money and the completion of undesired tasks are necessary for the furtherance of the church and the gospel.  There is something very precious to God about a person who loves him and trusts him enough to set their own wants aside to help in whatever way they can. 

2.  Sacrificial giving in any form is a reflection of the sacrifice that Jesus paid for us. Jesus didn’t want to be brutally crucified.  He had no desire to endure the pain and suffering required to redeem us from our sins and reconcile us to Father.  Yet he prayed, “Nonetheless, not my will but yours be done.”   He suffered willingly for our sake.

3.  Jesus knows what it feels like to not be appreciated.  He’s not anything special, he’s just a carpenter.  That was the mindset of many.  Others followed him because they appreciated him for who he is, but only for what he could do for them.  Still others hated him for his message and the claims he made, although everything he said and did was from a sacrificial love for mankind.   He, then, wants you to know He appreciates you and your heart to serve.  Even if the world says it amounts to nothing, it is precious in Jesus’ sight.

          The gift you have to offer may not be worth much to this world.  Unfortunately, your gift may not even be appreciated among many in the body of Christ.  But know this – if it is given with a sincere heart from your need, it is great in God’s eyes.  Very great.  And the worth God puts on your gift is all that should matter. 

© 2024

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