The Moore Family had a fun week recently. Titus the Honorable turned 7, and we had an epic celebration. In honor of the occasion, I wrote him this letter, but I’m letting the rest of you read it too.
Dear Titus the Honorable,
I knew I got you the best gift when I saw that smile spread across your face as you opened the package containing two cans of WD-40. I gave you this gift so: 1. You will quit using mine. I have now put you in charge of maintenance for the bicycles, hinges, scissors, clippers, garage door rollers, lawnmower wheels and anything else you can find to squirt. 2. I want you begin to collect some “man stuff.” You have some wrenches, a hammer, and now you can add WD-40 to your tools. Soon, I will add zip ties and duct tape to your growing collection. Just don’t use them on your younger brothers.
But I think you are old enough that I can talk to you about another grown-up subject: “Poppy’s money.” Recently, you asked me for $300 so you could buy a small motorcycle.
I know that you are a typical child, and when we are out shopping, you will ask me for things. I hear, “Can I have this?” and “Can I have that?” as you hold up a toy or piece of candy. Sometimes Poppy will say yes, and at other times, I have to say no. But there are five things I want you to know about “Poppy’s money.”
1. I don’t have any money. All the money you think is Poppy’s actually belongs to Jesus; I am just holding it for Him. I think of my wallet as Jesus’ purse. You see, the Bible says everything belongs to God. He owns the cattle on the hills; He owns the clouds that floats over our heads; He owns all the banks in the world; He owns the air we breathe. Everything is God’s. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Ps. 24:1).
2. God has allowed me the privilege of caring for His things. He has entrusted me to take care of His cars, His house, His lawn, His money. I am just a caretaker of God’s blessings. When you asked me for $300, I asked Jesus if I could reach into His purse and pull out $300 to give you, but He said no. You see, I must ask Jesus permission to spend any of His money. I asked Him if I could reach into His purse and pay the mortgage, and He said yes. I asked if could reach into His purse to buy some groceries, and He said “yes.” I hope that one day, you will see your wallet and bank account as Jesus’ purse.
3. The first thing I do with Jesus’ purse is reach in and give 10 percent back to His work. The other 90 percent I am to manage on His behalf, but the 90 percent is still His.
4. Sometimes, God wants to reach into Jesus’ purse to support someone else. A student might feel led to go to the mission field, and Jesus will instruct me to reach into His purse and pull out His money to put it in another person’s Jesus’ purse so they can reach others. On other occasions, He will have me pull out some money to buy food for a hungry family. If I had given you the $300, that money would have been gone, and I couldn’t have been able to help others.
5. Jesus not only has money in the purse I hold for Him but also a house, two cars and a host of other things. When my car broke down, a dear couple in Oklahoma City called me and wanted to give me a car. They understood that it belonged to Jesus, and Jesus wanted that car to come to my house. Then I had to fix my car that broke down, and God reached into my driveway and gave it to another brother who needed a car. God always has the right to move His belongings any way He deems good. The first church in Acts understood this principle. “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (Acts 2:44-45, NASB).
So happy 7th birthday, Titus the Honorable. By the way, when I wanted to get you two cans of WD-40, it was Jesus who allowed me to buy them for you! And all of those others presents you got? They belong to Jesus too. Enjoy His blessings!
With love from,
Poppy
