I never liked that phrase or to call people out like that: grow up! A cousin or two already told me to grow up or said I’m like a child a couple of times before. And I’ve always let it enter in one ear and back out the other. Because they would say that when I’m acting like a child while playing with the little cousins, nieces and nephews or when I refuse to talk about sex or anything sex-related with them. Well to begin with, I love kids. And in my opnion, if it’s not about sex in general, then it isn’t a topic you should openly talk about to everyone. Easy. But when God is telling you to grow up, it hits differently.
Last Sunday, as it now has become a usual, I picked Lorena, her son Santiago and Akshay up in Albufeira for us all to go to church together in Portimão. The couple of days before Sunday I had been praying and asking God again to help me pay my bills. That I trust in Him and that I myself won’t go puzzle out how to get them paid. God had been teaching me to stop saving things for tomorrow. Just look at today, because He provided for today and will also provide for tomorrow. If I want to eat an extra slice of bread today, then just eat it. If I want an extra egg next to my dinner, just do it. If I want to watch a movie in the cinemas and treat myself, just go and enjoy. Stop worrying about tomorrow. He told me to stop worrying about the bills that He Himself will pay. And so I practiced. So then on Sunday on my way to picking them up, I thought we could make a quick stop after church again and have a snack before we go back home. God spoke to me to pay for all of them. Treat all of us. I thought: “Okayy, yes Lord.. but my first bill is due next week..”. But quick after I thought: “OK, yes Lord, sorry, I will do it, I will obey”. Completely determined to do so, unlike the first reaction..
I picked them up and on our way to church we stopped to put some gasoline. Lorena, who has no job and takes care of her son while her husband works double shifts, so they can find a school for Santi to go to and an appartment for them to live in.. that Lorena, without hesitating takes out her wallet and gives me 10 euros. To help pay for gasoline. This is not the first time she does that and once again my heart is moved.
But as I see the second part of the Paper-Chasers series called Where The Money Resides? by pastor Michael Todd and start writing this blogpost, I learn that I am selfish. First of all, how can I doubt wanting to share with them if the day before I treated myself to see two movies and eat some snacks? God treated me the day before, so why not treat someone else today. Let someone enjoy from my riches. Or in this case, from the little that I have. I always say that when I become a millionaire I want to be able to help people either with money, resources, food, housing and/or my time, energy and love. And I have always done that what I could help with, with the “extra” from my income or with that which was left over. God is teaching me the principle of sharing. Proper generosity. Not from the part that is left, but with what I put aside. Not to just give, but to give Back. To invest and to sacrifice, just as God showed me with Lorena’s humble example.
Michael Todd continues as he says God is saying to us: “I’ve blessed you, I’ve given you more than you deserve. I kept you, I’ve blessing the works of your hands. Do you remember where you were five years ago? Do you remember what I have done for you today?” Coincidentally earlier on that same day I started to organize my tags on the blog. Going back to 2017, when I started this page and this blog. And I remembered, “Wauw, that was five years ago. Look at everything I did, went through and was blessed with. Look at everything God gave me. What a blessed year, so full with blessings. Blessed years even!” I even do a little prayer thanking Him for those years and everything He gave me.
And he goes on: “When are you going to grow up and be like your Daddy, who loved the world so much that He gave?” God is telling me to grow up. Yes, to grow up and be like Him. Him, that loved the world so much He gave His only Son. He loved. He gave. And so will I: love and give. I am growing up and learning these principles of giving, sharing, generosity, tithing and finances. I am not just going to Say I am a purpose-chaser, but I will implement these principles. God knows my heart and He will See I am a purpose-chaser.
“And now, you grow up.”
Tashmness. 