I HAVE BEEN WITH MANY DYING PEOPLE AND LISTENED CLOSELY TO “THE REGRETS.”
I was driving an elderly lady to a doctor’s appointment in Lexington. It was a four hour trip. The doctor did not have real good news. Her days were limited. On the way home we stopped and ate. Then we headed home. She bowed her head and never spoke for some time. I noticed tears running down her face. The quiet stillness was deafening in the car. She never raised her head. She pulled out her handkerchief and wiped off her face.
She was broken and started speaking. I listened. She was a wise woman. She was in her 80’s. With her head bowed she said Pastor you know my husband and I felt like we could never afford to pay our tithes. The Lord blessed us abundantly but 10% seemed so much and we decided that was too much to give. So we both decided we would not give. She has a few days to live. She said: I SEE NOW WE COULD HAVE EASILY PAID OUR TITHES.
She went on and said we have gone to our church 80+ years, Pastors have come and gone. They made huge sacrifices and their families have gone without. Most of them stayed until they had to leave because of their finances.
She had tears flowing down her face. My husband and I giving could have made a difference. We were faithful in attendance, we just felt like we could not afford to give.
I have pastored many years. I am now an old man. I still remember that day so very well. The words echo in my ears:
PASTOR, WE FELT WE COULD NOT GIVE AND NOW I SEE WE COULD HAVE GIVEN AND BEEN BLESSED. Not only was my heart broken for her regrets. I was broken for every preacher that had pastored that little church and struggled because the focus on the temporal… I CAN’T. I CAN’T AFFORD. NOW I SEE, the eternal vision should become clearer…
I REALLY SEE AND UNDERSTAND THAT ETERNITY LIES AHEAD…DO WE SEE MY DAILY CHOICES IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY?