I am the mother of three children. Since becoming a mother 6.5 years ago, I have probably spent less than $200 on clothing for my children. I have been beyond blessed with quality hand-me-downs from friends and family to outfit the little people in my house. This has obviously been great for our pocket book!
So here I am with wardrobe upon wardrobe being given to me and I was ready to take a bunch of clothes to a children’s consignment sale a few months ago to make some cash. My motives were not evil. I was simply looking to make a little cash to pay for other needs for my kids. I was driving down the road one day and God stopped me in my thoughts and asked, “Why are you trying to nickel and dime these clothes? Do not you trust that I will provide for your needs just as I have given you clothing item after clothing item?” “But I could really use $100 to pay for x,y and z.” said me. L
When I stopped arguing, I realized God was asking me not to stop the flow of blessing. I like to think of God’s blessing like a bathtub. He continues to fill our bathtub with an ever running stream of water. The catch is we cannot put the plug in the drain. He will keep the bathtub full and the water fresh. Our job is to keep the water draining. We receive the “water” and then we “let the water drain.” We receive and then we give. So in my little situation, I decided to keep the blessing going and give the outgrown clothes to others that I knew could use them just as I once was in need of them. Obedience is always a key step in allowing God to transform you; to bring you from glory to glory.
This is not a post to brag about my obedience or put down the act of selling clothes to make money. It is simply to show a revelation that God gave me on keeping the flow of blessing fluid and not stagnant. In the bathtub example, we have to release in order to receive more. Before long, our heart gets such a thrill out of the releasing to others that our selfish flesh forgets that there is a release for us too! The act of giving does become our blessing! Good stuff J
