As Easter approaches, I was asked to re-release an article that I wrote nearly 15 years ago – wow, time flies!
I remember when my husband first introduced the idea of the Resurrection Seed offering at Easter many years ago. I will not forget the words that have echoed in my memory since that time. “God gave His best – the best that He had to give on that day – shouldn’t we do the same?”
When Pastor Rod encouraged the congregation to give their best – even if it meant a week’s paycheck – I recall feeling somewhat disheartened. At the time, I was in college and working a part-time job at minimum wage (which was approximately $3.00 then) with bills staring me in the face as well. Even if I gave my best it certainly wouldn’t have been very much. How could my small seed compare with God’s ultimate sacrifice?
Thankfully, Pastor Rod continued to elaborate on sacrifice by explaining where our treasures were. I began feeling confident in a very simple truth – it’s not the amount of the seed, but the amount of the sacrifice. What may have seemed insignificant to me was quite significant in the eyes of God. Why? Because it was my all and the best I had to offer. As my confidence grew so did my determination as I sought to make my gift to God all that it could possibly be.
We were taught to use wisdom and not be overzealous so I planned ahead by saving a bit from each paycheck to meet my bills and asked for overtime to increase my seed – to make my best even better. With paycheck in hand, I went proudly to Easter service.
I’ll never forget the feeling of signing over my entire paycheck. Other’s were giving hundreds and thousands, and as I recall my seed totaled nearly $66.00 – but I was just as excited and fulfilled in knowing I had done my best and was laying it at the feet of my Lord and Savior.
At the time I wrote this article, my son Austin was 2 ½. I remember watching him as he slept. I gazed at his little angelic face and felt so overwhelmed. Our children have brought such indescribable joy and are more precious than anything in life. Holding my son I wondered how God, the Father, must have felt parting with His only Son. How much He loved us to ultimately sacrifice what was most precious to Him. I cannot imagine parting with my children; and with that perspective, it certainly makes it easier to part with finances and seek first the kingdom of God.
I have witnessed countless miracles and tremendous testimonies over the years that have directly resulted from seed sown in the Easter offering both large and small! It is not always what the world sees as significant or insignificant that matters. God’s best – the Son of God – hung on a cross seeming quite insignificant to the unknowing and unsuspecting people nearby; however, the Father certainly knew of His eternal significance.
Giving of your best has little to do with size, amounts or what others may judge as significant – it’s about love, effort, sacrifice and obedience. But above all – it’s simply a matter of the heart. This is my Easter story – I’d love to hear yours.
