There was a knock at my office door 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the 8:45 a.m. Sunday morning worship service. Seeing a familiar face peering through the glass window, I opened the door.

There she stood, smiling from ear to ear, bundled in her winter coat, and every white hair in its place. Mrs. C. apologized for interrupting my final preparations. I welcomed her into my office, yet she chose to remain at the door.

“I don’t want to get too close,” she said, “I’ve been sickly. I’m not staying for the worship service today, but I just had to stop by and give you this,” handing me two offering envelopes.

“My husband and I were unable to come to church last week due to illness. Even though we are a little better, we just aren’t well enough to sit through the worship service. I couldn’t let another day go by without bringing our tithes for last week and this week.”

As she placed a percentage of her fixed income into my hand, I found myself face-to-face with one servant’s tangible expression of gratitude for God’s overflowing generosity. She could have stayed at home, in her warm bed. She could have foregone those two weeks of contributions and spent the money on something else. Instead she joyfully and sacrificially responded to the love of God she has come to know through Christ and the Church. I thought to myself, “Thank you God for reminding me of what it looks like to faithfully love you.”