The Giving Lamp

By Donna Crabtree

“Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes of Israel, and the captains of thousands and of hundreds, with the rulers of the king’s work, offered willingly...Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy” (1 Chronicles 29:6, 9).

I’ll never forget the day from my childhood when Daddy told us we were going Christmas shopping. I was so excited! He gave my twin sister and me 5 dollars each to buy Christmas presents. I could not wait to see what I could purchase for each of my family members. In 1964, 5 dollars was a lot of money. I remember the car ride to the store vividly. “Silver Bells” played on the car radio, and every time I hear that song, it takes me back.

We went to Woolworth’s first. That’s where I saw the lamp. I still see it sitting on the shelf, the most beautiful lamp I had ever seen. It was about 16 inches high and had a white, plastic bubble shade on it. I thought, “Momma would love this” and asked my sister what she thought. She agreed it was beautiful, and we decided to buy it. If I remember correctly, it only cost 3 dollars. I do not remember buying anything else for any other family members that day, though I am sure I did. I was too excited about giving Momma the lamp.

I will never forget the look on her face when Mom opened our lamp on Christmas Day. She smiled and told us how much she loved it. She plugged it in and turned it on. It was beautiful. Momma kept that cheap lamp for many years, not because she had to, but because we had given it to her. I don’t know what eventually happened to it, although I wish she had kept it, and I had it now to remind me of her. Though of little value in 1964, to me, the lamp was priceless. Did it matter that it only cost 3 dollars? No! The joy of giving it to our mom made it priceless.

This memory reminds me of a sermon my husband Jeff recently shared from 1 Chronicles 29:6-9. In this passage, King David told the assembly he had provided means for Solomon to build a temple. He encouraged the other leaders to make their own free will offerings, so a temple could be built.

Following David’s example and challenge, Israel’s leaders gave willingly and generously. The people rejoiced as they witnessed their leaders giving from the heart. They had not been forced to give an offering; they wanted to. It made them happy—so happy they began to rejoice.
King David also rejoiced at the generosity of his leaders. They did not give for recognition but to make it possible for the work of God to be completed. I suspect some gave sacrificially, understanding Israel needed a temple. The people followed their example, giving generously themselves and sharing in the rejoicing. David was humbled. He thanked God for blessing Israel, so the people could give back to God with such generosity.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left us all uneasy. Inflation is up, supplies are limited, and many are hurting financially. Giving is down in many areas of ministry, from the local church to denominational departments. It is harder to give when times are uncertain or you are hurting financially, but God’s Word encourages us to give, trusting God will provide. Scripture provides many examples of God’s promise to provide for us if we trust Him (Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:31-33; Luke 12:24).

Do we rejoice when we give our tithes and offerings? Or have we forgotten the promises of God? It is easy to slip into “survival mode,” and the continuing chaos in the world can easily draw our minds away from God’s promises to protect us and provide for us. We need to pause regularly and remember: while we may not have everything we desire, we have all we need. When I pray each day, I thank God for His provisions and blessings. We have the precious promises that God loves us and cares for us. We should rejoice in those facts.

So, when you look at your paycheck this week and wonder if it will cover expenses, remember God wants us to give. Churches, colleges, mission works, and departmental offices are depending on us and will suffer if we do not follow His leading. We must trust God and give willingly, with a joyful heart. Few of us will be rich in this world’s wealth, but we can be rich in God’s blessings. Let us give from our hearts and rejoice because we have the means and opportunity to give back to God a portion of what He has given us.

We can rejoice when we give because God’s works will continue as He promised. When we give, we join Him in building His Kingdom. Maybe we can’t give as much as we gave before COVID-19, but we should give what we can, with gratitude. With the Lord’s help, in time we will recover from this seemingly endless pandemic. When it is finally over, we will be able to say, “I trusted God with my finances, and He took care of me as He promised.”

Rejoice in giving and being part of God’s great work being done. As “the giving lamp” taught me in my childhood, it is always more blessed to give than to receive.

About the Author: Donna Crabtree and her husband Jeff minister at Serenity FWB Church in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.