The Gift of Giving

…..more about my buddy Jeff.

Jeff called me JIMBO. He would answer the phone “Olah Senior~”. Can’t tell you how many times he and I went to breakfast lunch or dinner. But it was many. And I would have to fight him some times over the bill. He liked to pay. There was normally not an agenda. Just lunch. But we always ended up talking about our relationships with our God.

Soon after getting to know Jeff I realized we were on the same page about many issues regarding other people and life in general. We shared that field combat ideal and practice that “no man is to be left behind”. This may be a figure of speech to some, but for Jeff this was destined to to be routine practice. He may not have admitted it or realized it, but he had the spiritual gift of giving.

Cannot tell you (even close) how many needs that Jeff was responsible for filling. He was a quiet repsonder to other peoples needs. During the course of any conversation if Jeff heard of a need, either physical or spritual I could see the wheels turning in his mind. He just couldn’t let those things rest. Jeff was a DOER, not just a hearer (reminds me of the James passage). He lived his faith.

Jeff was intrigued by something that I had a passion for. And that was praying to God and believing God at His word that he would provide for every need within the scope of His will. Intercessory prayer (praying in behalf of someone else) became a regular thing for Jeff. He kept lists of other peoples names and the needs they had. Again these could be anything. Physical or spiritual. Didn’t matter. He had a passion for allowing God to use him as his instrument.

I am truly grateful to God for the time I had to spend with Jeff. He didn’t do things half way. For him is was all the way or the highway.

I'll talk about Jeff’s family later and you will see more about what they meant to Him.

Check back…..