In the years 2011 and 2013, God gave my two children American citizenship which He will use for something big in future. This, as I said last week, was a reward for my being an extravagant giver (which I think I am sadly not anymore but hope to become again).
Why did God back then consider me an extravagant giver deserving the reward I have previously mentioned (and many others)? It all started in 1998 when I had just accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Back then, a friend who was encouraging me in the things of God gave me a cassette tape of Roberts Liardon’s introduction of the twelve God’s generals he was going to teach about. I loved that tape. I would listen to it over and over again every day. Then early one morning, as I was getting out of bed, I literally heard the audible voice of the Lord say to me, “If you joyfully obey the laws of the Kingdom, you will never see financial depression in your life.” I immediately realized that God had ‘borrowed’ that line from Liardon who had taught that we needed to imitate the renowned lady evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson, who despite the economic hardships of the Great Depression had astonishingly built the magnificent Angelus Temple in California – because she practiced the law that when you give you receive more in return. Liardon had said: “If we joyfully obey the laws of the Kingdom of God, the laws of giving and receiving, we will never see financial depression in our lives.” And hence, as a student with no income except the little pocket money from my parents, I started giving of almost anything that came into my hands. If it was money, however little it was, I would first of all take off what belonged to God (the tithes), then I would bless those who God led me to. Very many times, I would be left with so little for myself. However, I had unspeakable joy in my heart – not only because I was blessing people, but also because I was obeying God who had undoubtedly told me that if I gave joyfully, I would never see financial depression in my life.
During those days, I had a dream that blessed and continues to bless my heart to this day when I think about it. Here is the dream:
I was attending a party at State House Lodge, Nakasero. A little girl of about three years was receiving cake from the high table to distribute to the many guests who I was one of. Before she got to us, children of about her age would run to her and grab all the cake. This sweet little girl, instead of fighting back or crying, would simply smile. As this process of receiving cake from the high table, grabbing it, and smiling was repeated, I was amazed at the gracefulness of the young girl. I was so touched by how a three-year-old could let other kids take all the cake from her without her taking offense. I fell in love with her because of her selfless character. The party then ended and everyone had to return to their homes. While we walked home, a lady with whom the sweet little girl had come began to spank her terribly for having given away all the cake to other children and not kept some for herself (the girl)! I ran to the defense of the girl pleading with the lady not to beat a child with such out-of-this-world character. But the stupid woman could not take it – she continued to beat the child because she gave everything away!
I got to understand, by the Holy Spirit, that God was revealing to me what He thought of my giving. I was the little girl who was so generous, joyfully giving away “everything” that I got. The Spirit continued to tell me that the intense emotions of love I felt for the generous little child were the same emotions God had towards me because of my sacrificial giving. Doesn’t the Bible say in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that, “God loves a cheerful giver”?
Here is an interesting side note. Many years after this dream, I met and became great friends with Elvis Mbonye before he veered off the path of life. When in one of our many conversations I shared with him that dream in detail, he said, “To tell you the truth, in the same year when you had that dream, I too received the exact same dream!” (Interestingly, back then, in three dreams from three different people, God said that Elvis and I were twins in the spirit! Both of us having the same dream at the same time years before our paths crossed seems to give more credence to those dreams).
Therefore, “do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased,” (Hebrews 13:16). This I say not to you alone, but also to myself. For as I said earlier on, I do not think I am as great a giver as I was when God first appeared to me saying, “If you joyfully obey the laws of the Kingdom, you will never see financial depression in your life.” I need to once again become the sweet little girl with the out-of-this-world character of extravagant generosity. Let us not fear to share what we have with others. God will be pleased with this, He will love us, and bless us.
God bless you.