Devotional from Brad O’Kelley

Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.

Psalm 37:16

Yesterday at Roswell Street everyone had the opportunity to hear Dr. Easley preach a message about the world mission offering. Roswell Street is one of the most committed churches when it comes to giving to missions. The missions budget is broken bow in three categories; across the seas, across the states, and across the streets. These three areas help to cover the most important areas of missions. I love the fact that Dr. Easley gave some real examples of the needs that missionaries need in the field. Some of these things are expensive and require a lot of work, and some of them are very simple and inexpensive. One of the coolest things about giving to missions is the fact that even the smallest amount of money can make a difference for the kingdom of God.

When I was a student minister I partnered with two missionaries in West Virginia to help them spread the gospel in a small town in southern West Virginia. The name of the town was War West Virginia. War is a very small place with very big needs. Before our first trip to War, the missionaries asked us to bring as much bottled water and toilet paper as we could possibly bring. I thought that this was a strange request, but we loaded up a trailer full of nothing but water and toilet paper. The water was needed because the drinking water in War was so bad that you couldn’t even brush your teeth with it. I could not believe that there was a place in America that had such bad drinking water that you couldn’t even brush your teeth! The toilet paper was a different story. Probably 95% of the people in War lived well below the poverty line and counted on well fare to get the essential needs of everyday life. At the beginning of the month when well fare checks were distributed, the streets of war would be full of people going to the grocery store to get all of the supplies they needed for the month. One of the first items that they would run out of before the month was over was toilet paper. Our mission team would walk down the street with cases of toilet paper and people would run to us and ask what they had to do to get a roll of toilet paper. I could not believe how many people were willing to do anything for a roll of toilet paper! With each roll that we handed out to the people, we would share the gospel and give them a Bible. I personally witnessed 4 people come to know Jesus as Lord all because they were given a roll of toilet paper.

The reason that I am telling you that story is the same reason that David wrote Psalm 37. We often get a distorted view of missions. Some people think that you have to build houses, or you have to go half way around the world, or you have to do a big project in order to do missions. The truth of the matter is that missions start with a heart willing to go into the entire world and preach the gospel. In the same way; giving to missions begins in the heart. The church is filled with people who are able to give more than I could ever think about giving. At the same time, our church is also filled with people who may only be able to spare a few dollars. Regardless of which category you are in, you have to remember that it begins in the heart. I have been on mission trips that provided entire houses to deserving families, and mission trips that provided toilet paper to those who could not afford it. In each case I saw the same gratitude and appreciation on behalf of the people who received the house and the ones that received the toilet paper. The reason that this happens is because each of these things were given with hearts that desired to see the message of the gospel taken to people who needed it.

So what does this mean for you and I today? First, we have to realize that God can do the same amazing work with a roll of toilet paper that He can do with an entire house. When God calls us to give to missions, His desire is that we do so with a heart that is focused on righteousness. When we go before the Lord and seek His will in how we give, God uses the biggest and smallest amount to accomplish His will. Second, we have to be willing to give no matter how big or small our amount may be. The only way that we can be made righteous is through faith in Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in Christ, and believe that He can do abundantly more that we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20), then we see that God’s will can be accomplished with both the largest and smallest amounts that are given to Him.

Pray that God would lay on your heart the amount that you should give to the missions offering. You may be able to give abundantly, or you may be able to give a little. You may be able to give a house, or you may be able to give a roll of toilet paper. No matter which group you are a part of, give out of the righteousness that He has given to you.

Tags: Brad O'Kelley, Connections, Roswell Street Baptist Church