The reason I write about money is not so we can all amass it, but to encourage you to appreciate the value of blessing others with what the Lord has given you. An added benefit of this is usually more material blessings, but being consumed with them is not central to your with Jesus.
I realize that “giving” means more than sharing our money. We can give of our time, services, things, encouragement, and so on. Those things count for a lot, too. I write about money because it’s a sensitive subject for most. It’s easy to give away an old piece of furniture you no longer use, but can you open your wallet and give from it? The Lord doesn’t want us attached to cash. If you get angry, frustrated, or feel a certain way every time you read a post about giving, you may be feeling conviction from the Lord. It’s not easy to do something that doesn’t come natural, but I can promise that if you ask the Holy Spirit to help you know the truth about how He wants you to use His resources, He will give you fresh perspective and pour grace into your heart. You will be much richer (in Him) for it.
As we approach the fall and a big season of giving, I’d like to show you how the powerful message in in Luke 6:38 has played out in my life. Today, I use an example of how giving my tenant free rent for Christmas (Dec) over the last couple years has blessed us both.
Before I elaborate, I’d like to note that I don’t usually like to share (the specifics of) how I steward the Lord’s resources. I prefer to give under the radar most times. The Bible exhorts us to give with discretion when able and not broadcast it to the world. Many people would call me nuts if they knew all the different ways that the Holy Spirit has me bless others. They would also find it nuts how the Lord has blessed me (and my husband) for being obedient. This season, the Lord wants me to share some examples for purposes of teaching and encouragement.
A few years ago, when the He laid it on my heart to not collect rent for the month of December, as a holiday gift, I didn’t hesitate to do it. My tenant was so appreciative. I’m not sure if she was in any financial strain, but who couldn’t use some extra money around the holidays. Giving comes natural to me, but if I had it my way, some of the “who, what, where, when, how, and why” I bless might look different from how the Holy Spirit guides me. I gave to my tenant because the Lord asked me to bless her (obedience). I gave with no expectation of return, but her appreciation was appreciated.
For a $1,500/year investment, I received these returns:
*A reliable renter who took excellent care of my property, alerted me to issues promptly, mitigated where she could, and took initiative (in some cases) to repair when able.
*Made some minor repairs herself, saving me on cost of labor. ($500/yr)
*Timely rental payments
*Assisted with water damage (from my property to a neighbor’s), helped mitigate damages, acted as the liaison with a noncommunicative neighbor.
*Made it so that I no longer needed the help of a property manager. ($100/month)
*Secured a new renter for me upon expiration of her lease. (avg referral fee assessed by realtor or property manager is one month’s rent)
My tenant was recently injured on the common condo grounds due to third-party error, sustained some injuries, and sought out a lawyer who is looking into liability on all parties. Not sure that this person she retained is up to speed on the law as it applies to a condo community (I am also a lawyer), but my tenant has told the lawyer that she won’t pursue the claim if he suggests pursuing me (liability doesn’t fall on me anyway, but that’s beside the point). The point is, because the nature of our relationship has been one of favor, and we both have sewn into it, the Lord has enabled good fruit to come of it.
When she moved into my condo a few years ago, she said she felt the Lord’s presence immediately. She said it has served as a place of comfort and peace. While she will miss it, she’s grateful for being led to the right home that she will move into this fall. We had a chance to sit down and really connect last week (I always kept the relationship primarily transactional for obvious reasons). We were pleasantly surprised to learn that we both walk in the prophetic strongly. We both have daughters who start kindergarten this fall who are also little seers for the Lord. They have a playdate scheduled for next week. God gifted me with a budding friendship that I have prayed for (I love all my friends, but I’ve asked Him to introduce me to more women who walk strongly in the prophetic, and He has been quick to answer).
Let me just answer the question some of you may have. Would I have given my renter free rent at the holidays had I not received any of this in return? Absolutely. I give when the Lord asks because I love Him and want to stay in obedience. Giving in and of itself brings great satisfaction. I didn’t need or expect any of these added blessings, but look how He poured them out anyway. Would they have come had I not sewn added blessing into our relationship, first? I doubt it.
Remember, in the Lord’s kingdom there is more than enough to go around. What He did for me He can (and wants) to do for you. I encourage you to try giving from the heart, because you love Him and want to help others. There’s no greater feeling than the sense of satisfaction I feel when I serve my father in Heaven. I’d rather hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” than have a few extra bucks in my wallet, any day of the week. But I love hearing, “Well done, good and faithful servant”, while sipping from a cup that runs over.
