Let God Use You
I was sitting in Church on Sunday when my pastor got up to start his sermon, and I could tell something was different. He’d been talking about being grateful and focusing our hearts on giving when he paused and stepped out from behind the podium. He started explaining that this week we were going to take up a special offering for a total stranger. The baskets started passing and I dropped in what cash I had on me. He explained that he’d ordered a few pizzas that would be delivered soon, and whatever money was collected would go as a tip to the pizza delivery person.
I thought it was a sweet gesture, especially since Christmas can be so rough on people. But I had no idea what incredible things God was about to do with that money! Our pastor went back to his sermon as we all waited in anticipation. And finally the moment arrived, and a young lady walked into the sanctuary — confused, and holding two pizzas.
Pastor Coffee asked her to come to the front and to stay with him up there for a second. Katie, our pizza angel, was understandably a little nervous and hesitant. But then he began to tell her how our church family had collected a special offering just for her — soley to spread some love and kindness this Christmas season. It was then he took the envelope from one of our Deacons and said,
“We’ve collected a special tip for you to the tune of $588.82.”
A collective silence fell and my eyes began to get misty. So did Katie’s.
She then burst into tears burying her face in the shoulder of our pastor. Katie sobbed quietly as we all clapped, cried, and yelled, “AMEN!” She finally looked up and said
“This is going to help so much. Thank you. I don’t know what to say.”
I smiled through my tears and hollered “Merry Christmas” as she walked down the aisle, money in hand, still shaking. We knew we had helped someone with no strings and no questions — we just tried our best to love the way Jesus does. But when Katie reached our foyer, we realized just what God had done.
She sat shaking for a moment as one of our church’s sweetest ladies sat with her and held her. It was then she explained that her Grandmother had just passed away. Times were a little tough in her family, and they had feared they wouldn’t be able to afford the funeral their beloved Grandma deserved. Katie had planned to give all her tips to her family to help, but she never imagined she’d be able to help quite that much. She finally composed herself enough to go about the rest of her deliveries. And this time she was smiling on her way out, knowing that God had just given her family exactly what they needed exactly when they needed it.
If we trust God with our everything, He will use it in a way we never could have imagined. His will is perfect. And sometimes it only takes something as simple a tip for the pizza person to remind us just big His plan is!
credit: Mechanicsville Church of Christ
To see more of God’s work, check out the incredible tip this Waffle House waitress received just in the nick of time!