It was already a busy day, but the caller was insistent that I pop by for a quick visit to pick up a donation cheque. I had little time between a client visit and an internal meeting with my boss but I agreed with the caveat that I couldn’t stay long.
Arriving later that day, I was greeted by Joanne who answered the door. As I entered Joanne introduced her husband John. Joanne indicated that she had just made some tea, so could she pour me a cup while they provided the details of the donation. As she hurried into the kitchen for the tea, John provided me with a cheque for a large, but very specific amount. After getting the distribution information squared away, I inquired about the odd amount with my last sip of tea. I quickly realized, as the two of them shared a quick glance, that there may not be a quick answer to that question.
Raising four children, John and Joanne had done their best to provide for the needs of their family with a modest income. Although money was never plentiful, they had paid for Christian education, paid off their home, and even had some savings. Recently, the last of John’s parents had passed away and they had been blessed with a substantial inheritance from the estate. When the cheque arrived, and the surprise of the amount had subsided, they agreed they would do something special with the funds. The sum was placed in a separate account while they dreamed about vacations, cottages and home improvements.
Although they excitedly talked about what to do with the funds together, individually they both began to sense a different approach. After wrestling with God in prayer over many weeks, John finally confessed to Joanne that he was feeling a tugging on his heart to give the money to charity. He told her how he had wrestled with his decision to tell her since they had so many wonderful plans for this money. He knew this was the one chance they would have to enjoy a small slice of luxury that he had been unable to provide her thus far. Fearing Joanne’s disappointment, John quietly watched as Joanne got up from the table and went into their bedroom only to reappear moments later with her journal in hand. to the bedroom. She reappeared a moment later, journal in hand. What happened next was miraculous.
Joanne read several passages from her diary over these same weeks as she too had struggled with the same nudgings. But, since the inheritance was from John’s family, she felt that it was his decision to make on what they would spend this inheritance on, and so she had not shared her thoughts on the matter.
Although I was late for my meeting with my boss, the time spent with this wonderful couple is still a favourite memory of mine.
Maynard Wiersma
