Sermon Illustrations

IN A WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS PUBLICATION, THERE WAS A RECENT STORY ABOUT A WOMAN WHO SERVED AS A HOUSE-PARENT FOR MISSIONARIES’ CHILDREN IN THE PHILIPPINES. SHE LOVED BOOKS. THOUGH SHE LOANED OUT SOME, OTHERS SHE TREASURED IN A FOOTLOCKER. ONCE, IN THE QUIET OF THE NIGHT, SADIE HEARD A FAINT GNAWING SOUND. AFTER SEARCHING ALL AROUND HER ROOM, SHE DISCOVERED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM HER FOOTLOCKER. WHEN SHE OPENED IT, SHE FOUND NOTHING BUT AN ENORMOUS PILE OF DUST. ALL THE BOOKS SHE HAD KEPT TO HERSELF HAD BEEN LOST TO TERMITES. WHAT WE GIVE AWAY, WE KEEP. WHAT WE HOARD, WE LOSE.

From Gene Edwards’ Sermon: Why Giving is Teamwork!!