Pigs & Chickens - September 22, 2008

This past weekend we had a guest preacher from Haiti to speak at
EBC. Of all the powerful statements Pastor Jean Marc Desire' made,
the most amazing analogy he gave was in the form of this story:
There was a pig and a chicken walking down the road one day.
As they walked, they noticed a sign on the front door of a local
diner that read: "We're asking for donations of eggs and bacon for a
charity breakfast for orphans." The chicken considered that it might
be a noble deed to donate to the diner so he asked the pig. The pig
replied with scorn, "No!" The chicken couldn't understand why the
pig became so angry all of a sudden. The chicken asked the pig why
he was trippin'. The pig responded, "It's easy for you to donate
because you can lay an egg and then walk away. But in order for me
to donate, I'd have to give my life. You'll only be making a
contribution but I'll be making a sacrifice." Wow! Consider the
depth of words of the pig. Jesus gave a similar example:

Mark 12:41-44 says … 41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and
began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury;
and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42A poor widow came
and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43Calling
His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this
poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;
44for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her
poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on."

Much like the contrast between the chicken and pig, is this example
of the rich people and the poor widow. The depth of our giving is
not in the quantity but in the quality. Too many Christian have a
shallow mindset in that we think we merely contribute to the church
or to the kingdom of God. For some, the mindset of giving a
contribution implies that they're doing God's church a favor. Ha!
That's a joke. The truth is that true Christians who enjoy a deep
intimate relationship with Christ, are called and willing to make
sacrifices to the advancement of God's kingdom. When we give to God,
either through time, energy, service, money, etc., we must always
give God our best. The only gift that pleases God, is one that cost
you something. Ultimately God should have all you; so let that gift
began with a sacrifice today, and please don't go on contributing to
God like unto a tip for a waitress.

Jean Marc Desire' (50%) RevDH (50%)

P.S. Wouldn't you appreciate more the gift from a loved one that
cost them something?