I paid my boys to go to church. 💵

A few Sundays ago I told the boys that one of them was going to church with me. I didn’t care who, but one of them was going to go.

A few minutes later, Josh came out of his room dressed. I thought for sure that he would have made Aiden go instead.

He looked at me and smiled. “I can’t believe I’m going.” My motherly instinct told me that he hadn’t volunteered. I asked him what Aiden was giving him. Aiden’s little 9 year old voice came out of his room saying “I only paid him him $10 Mom!”

Ugh…

I told Aiden he wasn’t paying his brother to go to church. Then, out of nowhere…I declared that I was going to pay him $10 to go and, if he wanted, I would pay him $10 too. Aiden asked if I was serious. I questioned myself if I was serious too. I quickly decided there were worse things I could be giving them money for. Ok…$10 to anyone who wants to go with me. I felt a twinge of guilt but decided to go ahead with it anyway.

On the way, I declare that we will look for treasures and that they won’t be sorry they came with me. Josh said that the donuts in the welcome center would be his treasure. I can’t deny that, to a 15 year old boy, a donut is a treasure. Aiden decided that I would be his treasure. I laugh and said that I was already paying him the $10 so he didn’t need to butter up.

We sat in our usual spot, about half way back on the left side. After a few songs, Pastor Bill started his sermon and I couldn’t believe God’s humor. The sermon was on tithing. Ugh…of all Sunday’s to pay my kids to go to church. What was God trying to tell me?

I instantly wished that I had known about the sermon earlier so that I could have given the boys ten one dollar bills each. Then, in a perfect world, they would have given 10% or $1.

I looked in my purse and I had two ten dollar bills. I gave them each one. I then had this fear that the offering plate would come around and they would be holding the money and not put anything in. What would everyone think if the saw my boys pass the plate while gripping their $10 bills tightly. I know that giving is between you and God but the old me took hold and worried what others would think.

I looked in my purse for more money. I found a $1 and a $5. I throw the money in the middle of the boys and they looked at me like I was crazy. “What is this for?!”

I told them each to pick one and put one of the bills in their pocket and the other in the offering.

Josh grabs the $5 quickly…Aiden looks mad.

Ugh…I hold my breath.

Aiden is first…he puts the $1 in his pocket and the $10 in the offering. I think that he must have grabbed the wrong one.

Josh turn, surely he will keep it all…

Nope…he puts in both!!!!

I’m now thinking that I’m a genius and raised two of the best kids ever. When I smile and say that it was nice of them Josh looks at me and says “I know it was a test Mom!”

Ha!

He’s right…it was a test, but not one that I could take the credit for.

I don’t know if it was the most exciting sermon for them to hear that day. What I do know is that my treasure is the lesson I learned that day:)