Mr. Ward met John at the curb in front of the church building. John Mann stepped out of the bitter cold into the passenger seat of the warm car and they were off. John was the newest member of the visitation team and Mr. Ward his mentor. Mr. Ward has been an elder and deacon for the church fellowship for as long as John can remember. They talked very little as the car made its was through the wintry streets. Within minutes they were in the parking lot at the apartments where Mrs. Long lived. A chill of excitement ran through John as he reached for the car door handle. His first visit would be with Widow Long and her two young sons. It was exciting to be part of a fellowship that visited the windows and fatherless.

Mr. Ward declined the offer of coffee and tea as Mrs. Long took their coats. The three of them sat at the kitchen table and John noticed that the back on the chair he sat in was loose and the table wobbled. He thought how good it could be to help make these small repairs for this family. Mr. Ward started by talking about the late Mr. Long and how much his friendship had meant. He next talked about the young boys and how much they looked like her late husband. She added that the younger one looked more like her father. Then Mr. Ward got a stern look on his face and said, “We are here to talk about the example you are setting for those boys.”

John almost fell off his chair on the inside, but remained still on the outside. Mr. Ward continued, “Your husband was always faithful with his support of the church. He was someone we could count on to obey the Lord. You have been very remiss with your tithes. While you have been prompt with the tithe from the social security checks, we receive it every month; we have seen nothing from the Aid to Dependant Children payments. We also feel you should be open to giving something for the blessing of receiving food stamps and the state housing allotment. This is a real nice place you have here.”

Mrs. Long looked at the tabletop as she answered. “I do the best I can with what we have. The boys and I put what we can in the offering plate every week.”

“Yes, I understand that,” Mr. Ward continued, “but offerings are over and above the tithes. What if Jesus had done just the best He could? We hope to see you do better. The blessings cannot grow if you don’t plant seeds in the fertile ground of the church.”

John went ahead of Mr. Ward back to the new fully equipped full size car. He waited quietly for Mr. Ward and said nothing as they made their way to the Frank’s house. John remembered the house the Franks had lived in before Mr. Frank’s accident. It was one of the hundred year old two stories just outside of town. The Franks had taken years to remodel the house. It turned out to be the pride of the neighborhood. The modest ranch they now lived in was smaller than one floor of their previous home. It was a sad day for the Franks when they put up the sold sign and held a furniture sale in their front yard. John remembered that Mr. Ward had bought the entire master bedroom collection, right down to the sheets, for a third of its value.

Mrs. Frank answered the door. Three of them sat on the modest couch and Mr. Frank pulled his wheelchair as close as he could. Again Mr. Ward turned down the offer of coffee or something else to drink. Mr. Ward began talking about the wonderful job Mr. Frank did refinishing the pews, before the accident, and how much the Board of Deacons appreciated the fine effort. He continued by telling Mrs. Frank what a great job she did decorating the new house. Then Mr. Ward’s stern came upon his face. John knew what that meant. Mr. Ward said, “We are concerned that we have not yet received your tithes from the sale of your house. You only paid ninety thousand for the house and you sold it for two hundred thousand.”

“Every penny we made from the house went into this house,” Mrs. Frank said. “We pay tithes from the disability checks and from what I make at the restaurant.”

“We know you do,” Mr. Ward went on, “but you were blessed with a great return on the house and the Lord is due what is His. Not everyone on disability is able to pay cash for a house.”

As they drove back to the church building John said, “Shouldn’t the church be helping Mrs. Long and the Franks instead of dunning them for tithes?”

“You will never make deacon talking like that young man,” Mr. Ward replied.

As John climbed out of the car into the bitter cold of the church parking lot Mr. Ward said, “I really love these fund drives. It give me a chance to talk to people I haven’t had time to see in months.”

© 2001 Tim D. Coulter Sr.