The man came and got my order. "Buttermilk toast and Teh C Peng, please," I said. (Teh C Peng is tea with milk). While waiting for the order, I chit chatted with the father and the uncle. Soon, came another friend of theirs. Let me just name him Mr.A.
He was not hot.
He was not sexy.
OBVIOUSLY!
He was not my type.
Cause he was someone's father!
Getting back to the story. There I was enjoying my toast and listening to the sounds of old folks talking. Suddenly, the uncle brought up the topic of fasting. He told me that his Church is going to have a 40 days and nights of fasting. The whole point of this event is to collect money, as when everytime you fast, you save. As when you save, you keep the money to be given to the Church.
However, Mr.A being better than anyone else on the table started doing scenes that me and my own two eyes could not imagine seeing. Well, I was exaggerating a bit, sorry. Mr. A started saying that "Why do we have to stupid-ly fast? There is no need to give more money to the Church. We give every Sunday what! 10% of our own salary some more.."
He continued, "Even if we give more, God never gives more.. Look, a lot of people are still having the same salary till this very day! Even the government servants have their salary barred during the rising of the economy! God never helps them!"
The uncle replied "Well, you just have to believe.. Have faith in the Lord.. You should be grateful that God gave you a house, few cars, a wife and children. You are blessed! Some people might want to have that, but they just couldn't! So why not give God more when you are already blessed?"
He snobbed "I gave more than 10% you know, if I calculate.. I give a bit here, and a bit there. It is more than 10%!"
I left after Mr.A, the snob talked too much and made me annoyed. Thank God, dad asked me to leave!
YES I WAS ANNOYED WITH MR.A!
My whole point of the story here is that, we should not be calculative! Yes, the bible states that we should give tithes.. 10% the very least. However, why must you tell the whole world of what you did? It is between you and the Lord above. As a bible verse states that, "Do everything in silent and the Lord will silently reward you.."
He did not see what the Lord has done for him. Mr. A, your daughter is already in the final semester for diploma, isn't that a blessing? That she is able to go through smoothly. Some people who wants to continue their studies are also aren't able to continue due to money shortage!
Another thing that annoys me most about Mr.A is that he doesn't want to give extra to the Lord! My goodness, how could you be so calculative to the One who provides you everything! Yes, He will not give you instantly the "extra" that you need but good things come in small packages. Since he stated that even when you give more, the Lord will not give you more.. Do you know why? He provides, its you who is not contented!
Have faith in Him!
You are still breathing! You still have a family! You still have a job! Not many people has what you have! Not even half as what you have! And you are grumbling? Thank God for all He has given.
Mr. A, I might be young, I might be only 18 years old, but I guess I am wiser than you are. You do not see what the Lord has given, if, God forbids, He took all of those from you, then you will see what he has given you all this while.. Only then, there is no use crying over spilled milk.
So, thank God for everything! Give more, and you shall be given even more! You don't have to force yourself if you can't but when you still can, do it! It is more blessed to give than to receive..
God bless!
