Please Tell them Father

Have you ever felt embarrassed? Well, I did. This was when I was just about to start saying Mass.
Did you say Mass? Yes, when I was just about to start saying Mass. A young boy came to me and asked me about giving. "Father John, is not that the Bible says 10% of our income belongs to the Lord?"
"Yes", I responded with great suprise.
Looking straight at the congregation, the young man said to me , "Then, tell them father!"
Not knowing what to say or do, I pretended to ignore him. But the young man did not have it. He repeated, "Father John, tell them. Go ahead! Tell them!"

I immediately held his hand and said to him, "help me to the congregation." I am not sure what the congregation thought I was after when I slowly moved to the mic and said, "The young man has something to say to us all." I gave him the mic and in simple words, he made his case.

"The Bible says 10% of our income belongs to the Lord! Not me! But the Bible. 10 % !"

After this experience, I asked myself so many questions. Why did the young man insist that I should tell the congregation about giving 10% of their income? Is it that he sensed that I am afraid to do so? Or was he just pointing to some shortfalls in my sermons? Maybe, he was sent by God to remind me that I should tell people the truth about what requires! Whatever was the case, I remained convinced that God speaks to us in different ways!

As a minister, I am afraid to speak like that young man about what God requires from us. As such, I misdirect people into thinking that the Bible has nothing to say about giving. Yet, the Bible is full of bigger demands to "give" not just our 10% but all that we have and all that we are. Indeed, if we totally give ourselves to God, to an extent of speaking like St. Francis of Asisis, "My God My all," the question of giving 10% of our income to the Lord will fall in place. In fact, you will not need Father John or my young man turned prophet to remind you. Is this not Jesus meant when he said "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."Matthew 6:33