Hoping that this was not an accident, someone left an excess of over £2000 along with other items for donation outside a charity shop before it opened.
A surprise donation is left outside of a charity shop… but who is responsible? Who is the Mystery Giver?
3 Things About This Story
The police are appealing to the mysterious donor to see if this money was left on purpose. I am excited about this news because how often does this happen? This story got me thinking about the following:
- Someone could have stolen it. I sound cynical but we are led to think about the worst case scenario, often enforced by the amount of dismal news we read.
- It was an anonymous donation. This was heart-warming to me as many people would possibly want recognition for a donation, especially that large. Not always of course, but it is just wonderful that someone could have left that money, outside of the charity before it even opened and slip away.
- This is a sizeable sum of money. £2000! Congratulations to the charity shop and a big thanks to the donor!
A Biblical Lens On The Above 3 Things
This got me thinking about what God says about giving and I thought it was an opportunity to share my thoughts with the readers of The Mustard Seed.
- We have all heard of the commandment not to steal, and most of us know stealing to be wrong and therefore we do not do it. In Proverbs 10:2, we are told that ‘treasures gained by wickedness do not profit’, however, this does not seem to register with those that steal. Treasures on earth will be stolen by thieves (Matthew 6:19) and it is a blessing that this particular donation remained safely outside the charity shop. However, we are encouraged to store up our treasures in heaven, because where we store up our treasure, there our heart will also be. Living for and serving Jesus daily stores up our treasure in heaven – every small act we do for Him does not go unnoticed! We may not catch the thief, but we know the Lord sees everything and everyone will have to give account for their life.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:13)
- I always think that giving is a personal choice, and it is a matter of the heart. When we give, we should not be doing it for our own glory and recognition. Rather we should be mindful that God is the one who gives and provides all our needs in all circumstances. The Lord rewards the giving that we do in secret because this ensures our motives are not selfish and have no thought or desire for a reward.
Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4)
- It does not matter about the size of the donation or gift, but the heart of the giver. The Life Application Study Bible explains this further by stating: ‘The value of a gift is not determined by its amount, but by the spirit in which it is given. A gift given grudgingly or for recognition loses its value… gifts of any size are pleasing to God when they are given out of gratitude and a spirit of generosity.’
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything–all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)
This was a great story to read and I pray that this was an act of genuine kindness, not a mistake! It was fun to look at what the bible says about giving, especially giving with a heart of gratitude and a spirit of generosity!
An Anchored Hope 