I was riding in a car with Dallas Willard somewhere between Colorado
Springs and Denver. I asked, "Hey, could I get your advice on
something?"
I told him the following story: "Three years ago, I invited a young man
to speak at our chapel service. About the time I expected him to
arrive, he called me from a nearby town and told me his car had broken
down. So I drove out to meet him and helped him get his car to a repair
shop. The next day he spoke in chapel, and then I drove him to get his
car. He spoke to the mechanic, who told him it was done, and then
presented him with a bill. The young man came to me and said, 'Um, I am
really embarrassed, but I don't have enough money to pay the bill. In
fact, I don't have any money at all. Could you loan me the money, and I
will pay you back in a week or so?'
"The bill turned out to be $400. I called my wife to let her know what I
was thinking about doing. She thought it was a good thing to do,
helping someone out and all. So I paid the bill, and he took off for
home. Several weeks passed, and I didn't hear from him. Several weeks
turned into several months, and still I heard nothing. Then about a year
later, he left a message at work that said, 'Hey, I am really sorry.
Things are still really tight for me, but I want you to know that I
haven't forgotten about the money I owe you. I should have it in a few
weeks.' Once again, a few weeks turned into a few months, and two years
later, I still haven't heard from him. I am just wondering if it would
be alright if I called him, and if so, what should I say. What do you
think, Dallas?"
Dallas paused, then looked at me and asked, "Have you missed it?"
I replied, "Have I missed … what?"
"Have you missed the money? Have you been living in a condition of need?"
I thought about it for a moment, and it occurred to me that over the
past three years we had had adequate—actually more than
adequate—provision for the things we need. I began to remember several
instances when some large, unexpected bill (roof repair, new dishwasher,
broken water pump in the car) had come along, and every time there was
some unexpected surplus that allowed us to survive unscathed. I
remembered one time when we got an unexpected $500 bill for our
daughter's medical care, and I didn't sleep well that night. Then, in
the next day's mail we got a check from an anonymous source. The
enclosed note said, "I really felt that God wanted me to send you this
check. I have been praying for you and your daughter."
The check was for $500.
"No," I answered Dallas, "We have not missed it. We have been well cared for."
"You see, Jim," Dallas explained, "It is all about kingdom economics."
I'd never heard of kingdom economics.
Dallas went on, "The kingdom of God is God's rule and reign, and when
you surrendered your life to God you entered that kingdom. The essence
of the Trinity is self-sacrifice. God is in the business of giving to
others. When you gave your money freely to that man, you were aligned
with God and his kingdom. God would then make sure that the money given
in sacrifice would never be missed."
Something shifted in me during that car ride that has left me changed.
Dallas pointed out something going on all around me that I had failed to
notice. God was with me. God had been watching over me. It was as if
Dallas were Sherlock Holmes, who in the final scene points out 15 clues
that have been there all along but no one was paying attention to. When I
added up all of the clues, it became clear that God had been very near
my family and our needs. Kingdom economics is not a "get rich" scheme,
but rather a system of providing for people's needs as they need it.
Culled from the Internet
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