Kingdom Multiplication

What do two rare $2 bills have to do with God's kingdom work?

While recently attending the Marine graduation ceremonies for our granddaughter, Rachel, we met a filipino server in our hotel restaurant. He shared a short testimony of God's grace in his life and inquired about our ministry to African pastors. After a delightful exchange, he left to serve other tables.

Some ten minutes later, he returned and placed a $2 bill on our table, explaining that he had just been tipped by another customer. Though it wasn't much, he said he wanted to contribute this as "seed money" for the work in Africa. He expressed his confident faith that God would multiply it for His glory.

No more than five minutes later he returned once again to our table with a grin as large as a slice of watermelon! He excitedly placed before us another $2 bill, saying, "Can you believe it, God has already answered our prayer!" Another customer also tipped him a $2 bill and he knew exactly what to do with it!

This unforgettable experience left us musing on Jesus' parable of the talents: "So also he who had the two talents made two talents more" (Matthew 25:17). The truth is, every investment we make by faith in God's kingdom work has eternal value. In God's economy, the impact of multiplication is exponential.

I promised our friend that I would place those two $2 bills in the offering during our pastoral training in Rwanda. I did just that, along with many Rwandan pastors and church leaders who were giving out of their poverty. And as I did, Jesus' words "two talents more" were resonating in my heart.

Yes, God's kingdom work is not one of addition, but of multiplication! However great or small our investment, the impact is immeasurable when offered up in faith.