Blind Faith

Our service today at church was awesome!

One thing I love is hearing stories that move me, inspire me, give me chills. Today, our pastor told one.

Some background: Our church has been holding services in the gym at a local college for the past 8 years. The lease is running out and will not be renewed, so the church is in need of a building. They have searched and searched and searched and searched. They finally found one but need a lot of money to buy it. In researching, the pastor found out that 87% of the church members give less than $50 per month to the church.

So, 2 weeks ago, he had a service about it. He had never talked about money before, but felt that it was a big problem because the members cared more about money than their church and God.

Today, he told us that after the 11:30 service on that day 2 weeks ago, he was praying to God that no first time visitors were at the church that day because he didn't want to turn them off. Then a woman and a man walked up to them. The woman said:

Hi. This is my first Sunday. (Our pastor cringes). The service was good. My husband and I have been married for 4.5 years and we have been doing it "our" way and it isn't working. We need God in our lives. God spoke to me today and told me that I needed to do something. I need to give you my wedding ring, and you are to sell it and use the money toward the building. We paid $16,500 for the ring.

Pastor Matt: No, no, I don't want your ring.

Woman: Listen, you must take the ring.

Pastor Matt: OK, ok.

So he took the ring and the woman and her husband left. The next weekend, there was a marriage retreat at the church. Matt had the ring with him and told the story of the woman who was called to give by God and followed him on blind faith, even as only a first time visitor to the church.

Later, a man at the retreat came up to Matt and told him that he wanted to buy the ring. He told him that it was probably only worth half of what she paid for it, but that he wanted to buy it for $17,000. Pastor Matt said deal.

Then, after the man wrote the check and handed it to Matt, Matt was handing the ring to the man when he said "No, I don't want the ring. There is just one thing you need to do. You need to give that woman back her ring."

At this point during the service, I am balling. I look around and others are too.

Blind faith. God called to the woman and she LISTENED. And she was blessed.

Amazing, isn't it?