RBLESSNG: Outback payback
I hope whoever I’m writing about — or someone who knows who it is — is reading this, because I really want them to know what I think, and how I feel. But even more, how God thinks and feels about them. I’ve been waiting for this turn at the Pastor’s Corner to “pay back” someone who has laid up major rewards in heaven for themselves — at my wife Cathy and I’s “expense.” But even if the “guilty” person(s) doesn’t read this, it is still a good spiritual lesson for everyone (me and you) who does.
A couple of months ago, Cathy was rear-ended in Couer d’Alene, and our 1997 Toyota Corolla was “totaled” — though still drivable. Cathy suffered some minor whiplash symptoms that required extended chiropractic treatments, but has recovered well and is doing fine (praise the Lord).
On Saturday, April 30, about noon, our phone rang. Cathy answered, and said, “Yes, he’s here.” Tina Reynolds of Reynold’s Auto Sales in Sagle was on the other end, and wanted me to be on the phone with Cathy. Half crying, she said, “It’s my blessing to tell you that you have a new car here waiting for you to come pick up.” I said, “Is this a prank call?” She said, “No, this is real, and someone has bought you a car that you just need to come and sign papers for and take the keys.” In a state of total shock and disbelief, we drove out. Sure enough, a beautiful 2004 Subaru Outback in mint condition (with only 53,000 miles on it) was waiting in the driveway for us. We went inside, and within a matter of minutes, drove away in our “new car.”
We were unable to squeeze any information about the anonymous benefactor(s) out of Tina, or anyone else we’ve asked who we suspected might know. Either they really don’t, or they’re pretty good liars (some fellow pastors included). Perhaps we haven’t asked the right person(s) yet, but we’re still pinching ourselves. We’ve been the recipients of many generous gifts through the years, but this is by far the most generous anonymous gift we have received, and it has been the most difficult to “accept.”
Don’t get me wrong. We’re driving the car with joy and gratitude (we had “thank you” signs in the windows for several weeks, and have just installed “RBLSSNG” personalized license plates on it), but we wish we could personally and face to face thank the responsible person(s). On the other hand, we don’t want to rob them of the greater blessing they are receiving from keeping their gift a secret.
About such “secret giving,” Jesus said: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret , will reward you” (Matthew 6:1-4).
And so — whoever you are — we are leaving you in the hands of God, knowing that He is able to “Outback payback” you many times over what we would be able to. And thank you for being a wonderful example to the rest of us, of what a genuine, generous gift — given in the name of Jesus — looks like. We know that God has and will continue to bless you richly for it, and on that basis we gratefully accept your very generous gift.
Pastor Jon L. Pomeroy can be reached at Sandpoint Church of God, 221 S. Division Ave., Sandpoint; by calling 208-263-6629; or by email at info@sandpointchurchofGod.org.