Dawn Metzger

My name is Dawn Metzger and I live in Ohio. My husband Jim was an eminent physician in the tristate area of Michigan, Ohio and Indiana for over 25 years. I cared for him for over ten years before his home going to heaven last year. Many people may have heard of Jim’s father, the late Bruce Metzger, who was well known for being a Bible translator, textual critic, and scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary.

I believe God is the original giver. The main demonstration of God’s generosity to us was God the Father giving his only son Jesus to procure eternal salvation for those who were his enemies. (John 3:16) This is a kind of generous love that is “exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)

I first learned the joy of giving as a child, sharing my toys and afternoon snacks with the neighbor kids. My mother usually intervened to prevent me giving all my toys away! As I grew into adulthood, I came to see the deep satisfaction of sharing with those in need. As a believer in Jesus, I realized that giving is they key part of gospel-centered living.

Our hearts so easily make idols out of money and what it can buy. We can easily define ourselves by how much money we have. Money itself is not the problem; rather it’s the love of money that is a root of all kinds of evil, as 1 Timothy 6:10 says. My husband and I were older when we married, and we had each learned to give independently of one another. However, as a married couple, we needed to learn how to give jointly. It was a process to learn to see through each other’s eyes and come to agreement on what we could give. 

I have learned that Jesus is the truest treasure. He gave me a humble beginning to life and saved my soul at 13 years old. As the old hymn famously says, “though many dangers, toils and snares, we have already come,” and certainly, through all of the ups and downs of life, which included years of chronic disease and the loss of my husband, I have Jesus to be my anchor, my rock, and sure foundation for my life.

Looking back to when I was 25, I wish that I had internalized more biblical teaching about giving and helping others with my finances. Giving food and clothing was always a part of my life, but not so much with money back then. I think when we’re young, we tend to think that we don’t have money we can afford to give. But now I see that giving early when you have little is the first step toward faithfulness to be entrusted with more. (Luke 16:10)

Probably the most powerful element of my daily routine is a daily surrender to Jesus. Those who come to put their faith in Jesus at a particular point in life, learn that they need to surrender again and again to Jesus. For me, that involves daily worship, praise, prayer and reading God’s word.

Giving decisions are personal for each of us. I put each request before the Lord in prayer and wait for his Spirit to show me what I should do. In Psalm 32:8 God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” I trust that God will do this and my experience has been over and over that when I wait upon him he does. 

I must say that as a new widow, I floundered for a while to figure out what God’s purposes were for me. Over time, as I healed from my loss, I had a deep sense of responsibility and accountability to God for stewarding the wealth that my husband had so wisely and prudently accumulated. John’s book, Gospel Patrons, had an enormous influence upon my identity and the role God has called me to. I have had so much fun donating to ministries that help needy children and orphans in Jesus’ name.

Three words that I would love to be remembered by are faithful, loving, and caring.