Asking God for $100

By Andrew McChesney

Eighteen-year-old college student Roman Cardwell prayed a simple prayer before leaving home in Salem, a city in the U.S. state of Oregon.

Image © Pacific Press

“God, if you give me $100, I will buy stuff for the homeless,” he prayed.

As a full-time welding student, Roman didn’t have much money of his own. He didn’t tell anyone about his morning prayer.

Later that day he drove to the supermarket, grabbed an empty shopping cart, and began pushing it down an aisle. Finding a bag of bagels, he placed it in the cart. After that, he picked up a container of cream cheese to go with the bagels.

Then he looked down. His eyes widened in surprise. Lying in the cart was a crisp $100 bill. He blinked and picked up the money. The word “Benny” was written across it.

“Benny” is somewhat of a celebrity in Salem. For years, somebody named “Benny” has been going into local stores and sneaking $100 bills into shopping carts and purses or placing the money behind goods on the shelves. The unknown benefactor always writes the name “Benny” on the money, and it is believed that “Benny” has given away $50,000.

As soon as Roman stepped out of the supermarket, he called his father to tell him about his secret prayer and the unexpected answer.

“What do the homeless need most?” Roman asked. “I want to go shopping for them now.”

His father, Dale Cardwell, couldn’t have been happier. He is the pastor of Inside Out Ministries, a Seventh-day Adventist church in Salem that has more homeless members than members who have homes.

“We see miracles everyday as we minister to the gangs, homeless, and severely broken,” he said in an interview.

He has many questions for God about the remarkable answer to his son’s prayer: Who placed the money in the cart? Why was Roman’s cart chosen? Did God tell “Benny” about the prayer? What if Roman had asked for $1,000? What if we all made selfless requests to God?

James 4:2-3 says, “You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (NIV).

While Roman and his father assist the marginalized in Salem, part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering with help a marginalized group — refugees — across the North American Division. You can be a “Benny” and plan a generous contribution.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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Further Thought:

In the context of what happened to Joseph with Potiphar’s wife, Ellen White wrote: “Here is an example to all generations who should live upon the earth. … God will be a present help, and his Spirit a shield. Although surrounded with the severest temptations, there is a source of strength to which they can apply and resist them.

Image @ Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

How fierce was the assault upon Joseph’s morals. It came from one of influence, the most likely to lead astray. Yet how promptly and firmly was it resisted. … He had placed his reputation and interest in the hands of God. And although he was suffered to be afflicted for a time, to prepare him to fill an important position, yet God safely guarded that reputation that was blackened by a wicked accuser, and afterward, in his own good time, caused it to shine. God made even the prison the way to his elevation. Virtue will in time bring its own reward. The shield which covered Joseph’s heart, was the fear of God, which caused him to be faithful and just to his master, and true to God. He despised that ingratitude which would lead him to abuse his master’s confidence, although his master might never learn the fact.” — Ellen G. White, The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, p. 132.

Discussion Questions:

<–Thursday

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You can view an in-depth discussion of “Finding Rest in Family Ties” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on the image to view:

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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This video is produced by the South Pacific Division Discipleship team.

Week 6_ Finding Rest in Family Ties_study this lesson for Aug 7 from SPD Discipleship on Vimeo.

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Like many people I talk to, the story of Joseph is one of my favorite stories. He survives a dysfunctional environment and rises to the throne. His story gives us so much encouragement. For example, I love how Judah illustrates true repentance when he says,

And now, my lord, I cannot go back to my father without the boy. Our father’s life is bound up in the boy’s life. If he sees that the boy is not with us, our father will die. We, your servants, will indeed be responsible for sending that grieving, white-haired man to his grave. Genesis 44:30-31 NLT 

Judah tells Joseph he would rather die a slave in Egypt rather than break his father’s heart. What a beautifully accurate picture of repentance. 

I love it when Joseph tells his brothers,

But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. Genesis 45:5 NLT 

Now here is some profound theology. Joseph is not blaming his dysfunctional family for all of his problems in life! He realizes how his dysfunctional family played right into God’s hands to get him exactly where he needed to be. Years ago someone 1200 miles away called me with a job offer. As it turned out, one of my coworkers knew the person who called me. I told a pastor friend, “I wonder if my coworker gave my name to the person who called, just to get rid of me?” The pastor wisely replied, “If so, it doesn’t matter what the motives of  your coworker are. Joseph’s brothers had poor motives but they still got Joseph to the throne. God will work everything out for your good.” 

During my whole life the story of Joseph has been an exhaustless theme. Putting myself in Joseph’s place and even in Jacob’s place gives me several different perspectives. That raises some questions, and I would be interested to know what your thoughts may be. 

For example, If I put myself in Joseph’s sandals, I’m thinking that, as soon as I got free, I would go find my father. Once Joseph got on the throne, do you think he made any attempts to contact his father? I’m thinking it was definitely within his power to do so. Or do you think Joseph was content knowing God was with him, and that was all that mattered? 

Do you think Joseph missed his family all the time, or was he possibly glad to be away from the dysfunction? Could there have been some dysfunction in Potiphar and his wife, which led to her advances? If so, did that maybe help Joseph see his own family in a different light? 

When the brothers started telling Jacob all the strange questions the ruler was asking about the family, and especially his interest in the father and the little brother, do you think Jacob may had some fatherly instinct that helped him read between the lines and get a clue as to what was actually going on? 

Our imagination should never be placed above a plain “Thus saith the Lord,” but I believe these stories are also written to leave room for a healthy imagination. I believe the stories come to life and are more real to us when we read with a healthy imagination that stays within the realms of the information Scripture provides. What do you think? 

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