http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians+9:6&version=NIV1984
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=COl%203:23-24&version=NIV1984
I happened to catch part of another program that Beth was watching on TV the other night. It was called Extreme Cheapskate. Enough said. On this particular episode a couple was going to celebrate their 25th anniversary. So the husband, Roy Haynes, starts looking for some gifts for his wife. Good, right? Not so fast. This guy looks for gifts in trash dumpsters. Yeah, you read that right. He dumpster dives trying to find something to give his wife. Wow.
Now I’m not sure, but I think that if a wife were to receive something her husband had retrieved out of a dumpster for her 25th wedding anniversary (or any anniversary for that matter) she would be greatly offended. If that was the case, most wives might wish that their husbands had simply forgotten about their anniversary altogether. But you say, “It’s the thought that counts.” That’s the point. If you go out ‘dumpster diving’ to find a gift for your wife (when you can afford something better) the ‘thought’ is that she isn’t worth spending much money on. Ouch! There’s more.
Roy doesn’t take his wife out to eat at a fancy restaurant. Oh, no! That would cost too much. So he takes her out to a local dinner. Some place that looked like a truck stop. Then he gives his wife some flowers. Great move. Every woman likes flowers, right? Yes. But when they are fresh and pretty. Roy presents his wife with flowers that he also found in the garbage. They were half-wilted! Personally, I would be embarrassed to give my wife flowers in that condition. (And I don’t think she’d take them either!) I would rather give her a picture of a flower than to give her flowers that someone else had thrown away.
I am sure that after 25 years this woman was used to Roy’s penny-pinching ways. After all, this behavior goes all the way back to their honeymoon. On the day of their wedding Roy went back and picked up all the rice from the sidewalk that had been thrown at them as they exited the church. Then he went home, cooked it, and offered it to his wife as her meal. Are you kidding me! On her honeymoon. Of course, his wife refused to eat it. (I don’t blame her.) By this time she is wondering whether she had made a mistake. I’m certain that would have been running through my mind as well. But, here they are, 25 years later and they’re still married. All I can say is that she must be able to overlook an awful lot. Like his reusing paper towels 5 times. Or separating 2-ply toilet paper into 1 ply. So that it will last twice as long. Maybe this is why they say love is blind.
I don’t even know why they put people like this on TV? When they do all they are doing is rewarding and celebrating stupid or obnoxious behavior. The worst part about all of this is that this guy was probably paid to be on the show. How’s that for irony? A cheapskate is paid for being cheap. And displaying it for the whole world to see. At times like this I wonder exactly how I fit on this planet?
Unfortunately, some people have the same approach toward God. (There’s a scary thought!) They completely dishonor Him by giving him the leftovers. The crumbs. If they give Him anything at all. Really? The majestic, almighty God who created the Universe (and every human being on the planet) and He gets leftovers? Why He ought to get the best. In everything. In the OT God specified that the lambs that were brought as sacrifices had to be without defect. Or blemish. Part of the reasoning behind this was that the lamb represented the sinless Lamb of God, Jesus. The other part is that God is worthy of the best. He deserves the best. Of our money. Possessions. Time. Love. This is how we honor Him. This is how we display our love for Him. This is also how He gives to us. Generously. Extravagantly. Over-the-top. The absolute best. Can we give Him anything less in return?
Lord, You are the most wonderful, worthy, magnificent Being in the entire Universe. All of Your attributes are positive. And they are without limit. As such, You deserve the best from me. The best of my worship. Time. Service. Money. Love. Thank you for the rich, extravagant, generous way that You give to me. May I give freely and generously back to You. May I give You nothing but the best. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now I’m not sure, but I think that if a wife were to receive something her husband had retrieved out of a dumpster for her 25th wedding anniversary (or any anniversary for that matter) she would be greatly offended. If that was the case, most wives might wish that their husbands had simply forgotten about their anniversary altogether. But you say, “It’s the thought that counts.” That’s the point. If you go out ‘dumpster diving’ to find a gift for your wife (when you can afford something better) the ‘thought’ is that she isn’t worth spending much money on. Ouch! There’s more.
Roy doesn’t take his wife out to eat at a fancy restaurant. Oh, no! That would cost too much. So he takes her out to a local dinner. Some place that looked like a truck stop. Then he gives his wife some flowers. Great move. Every woman likes flowers, right? Yes. But when they are fresh and pretty. Roy presents his wife with flowers that he also found in the garbage. They were half-wilted! Personally, I would be embarrassed to give my wife flowers in that condition. (And I don’t think she’d take them either!) I would rather give her a picture of a flower than to give her flowers that someone else had thrown away.
I am sure that after 25 years this woman was used to Roy’s penny-pinching ways. After all, this behavior goes all the way back to their honeymoon. On the day of their wedding Roy went back and picked up all the rice from the sidewalk that had been thrown at them as they exited the church. Then he went home, cooked it, and offered it to his wife as her meal. Are you kidding me! On her honeymoon. Of course, his wife refused to eat it. (I don’t blame her.) By this time she is wondering whether she had made a mistake. I’m certain that would have been running through my mind as well. But, here they are, 25 years later and they’re still married. All I can say is that she must be able to overlook an awful lot. Like his reusing paper towels 5 times. Or separating 2-ply toilet paper into 1 ply. So that it will last twice as long. Maybe this is why they say love is blind.
I don’t even know why they put people like this on TV? When they do all they are doing is rewarding and celebrating stupid or obnoxious behavior. The worst part about all of this is that this guy was probably paid to be on the show. How’s that for irony? A cheapskate is paid for being cheap. And displaying it for the whole world to see. At times like this I wonder exactly how I fit on this planet?
Unfortunately, some people have the same approach toward God. (There’s a scary thought!) They completely dishonor Him by giving him the leftovers. The crumbs. If they give Him anything at all. Really? The majestic, almighty God who created the Universe (and every human being on the planet) and He gets leftovers? Why He ought to get the best. In everything. In the OT God specified that the lambs that were brought as sacrifices had to be without defect. Or blemish. Part of the reasoning behind this was that the lamb represented the sinless Lamb of God, Jesus. The other part is that God is worthy of the best. He deserves the best. Of our money. Possessions. Time. Love. This is how we honor Him. This is how we display our love for Him. This is also how He gives to us. Generously. Extravagantly. Over-the-top. The absolute best. Can we give Him anything less in return?
Lord, You are the most wonderful, worthy, magnificent Being in the entire Universe. All of Your attributes are positive. And they are without limit. As such, You deserve the best from me. The best of my worship. Time. Service. Money. Love. Thank you for the rich, extravagant, generous way that You give to me. May I give freely and generously back to You. May I give You nothing but the best. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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