Pass it On

I am reading through David Platt's book Radical:  Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream.  I listened to the sermon series back in January.  Yesterday, I listened to another "sermon" (it was really an interview with a missionary) from a missionary in Belize. 

He gave an interesting example of working with the children.  The kids he works with are incredibly poor.  They scavenge the garbage for food and clothes.  One day, he brought a huge bag of candy with him to the facility where they minister to these kids. 

He took out a piece of candy and handed it to the 8 yr old girl in the front row.  He asked her to pass it down to the next little girl.  She refused.  He kindly asked her again to pass it down.  She refused again. 

Just as he was about to move to the next child and give them a piece of candy, he heard the Holy Spirit speak to him.  He said, "Don't move.  If she can't trust you to give her more, how can she trust ME?"  So, he told her that she would get more candy ONLY if she passed on what she had.  She finally passed it down.  He gave her more, but then told her once again to pass it on. She did and finally got her candy at the very end.

I sat there thinking about this example in the context of David Platt's book/sermons.  God has blessed me with MANY things.  BUT, he has blessed me with them, so I can pass them on.  God doesn't expect me to sit here and hold tightly to what he has given me.  I get to hold it for a little while, but I need to pass it on. 

We are still working on this concept at our house.  Our annual neighborhood garage sale is coming up in November.  I'm looking forward to cleaning out a LOT of S-T-U-F-F in our house that sits unused.  I don't need it - someone else does.  CP and I have pact with ourselves that goes all the way back to when we first got married:  Anything that goes out for the garage sale - DOES NOT come back in.  If I thought I could live without it, I can.  So, I'm hoping to Pass On a lot of stuff at our garage sale.  And between now and then, I might just take some things straight to the thrift store or to the local cleaners that loads containers and delivers them to Guatemala.