law of reciprocity

Do You Work to Live or Live to Work?

By Amy Reid, The 700 Club

"The saying is, you work to live, not live to work," Glen Cox said, "and I was living to work."

Glen Cox’s life revolved around his career as a restaurant manager. But years of obsessing over work led to the day his wife, Michelle, packed up their kids and moved out. Glen’s career was all he had left.

"I think when Michelle left, that’s when I really had to search for a deeper faith, to really grow up," Glen said. "I had to ask God for the first time and say, 'Lord, I’ve been wrong. Help me see the right way.'”

Glen started going back to church.

"I just took small steps. I tried to be a dad; got a job that didn’t own me: started becoming a giver, attending church regularly; and then just prayed and had faith," Glen said.

Glen also had to deal with a lot of debt.

"The total debt was somewhere in the $330,000 range and it happened one bad decision at a time," Glen said.

While he slowly worked his way out of debt, Glen decided to become a 700 Club partner.

"I just started doing the $20 a month," Glen said. "To me, it seemed like, man, shouldn’t you do more? But I said, 'I've got to do this and do it consistently, no matter what’s going on.'”

Glen got out of the restaurant business completely and moved to be closer to Michelle and the kids.

"I knew my motives were about getting my family right, so I got out of the job that had trapped me. But I had to give up that big salary to do that. It was not about the money, it was about that that job owned me," Glen said. "So I took a job working for $8 an hour working for a guy that seal-coated driveways."

The next year, Glen started a business of his own. And as it grew, he continued to be faithful in giving to CBN.

"I got into giving $40 a month, then $80 a month. Every year it just doubled and every year God blessed me more; the law of reciprocity occurred. I didn’t make it my motive to get something back; it just was a by-product," Glen said. "From that point to now, it’s just amazing. I started with nothing. The first year, we had 350 customers. Today, we have over 20,000 customers. I can’t say there’s anything magical about the way I seal-coat a driveway; I think it’s God!"

The changes in Glen’s life also influenced Michelle. The couple reconciled and Michelle became a Christian.

"I could see that in everything that Glen did he was genuine," Michelle said. "It was really, truly from his heart. He was a different person. It was his faith that really was the catalyst that pushed me in the right direction. Before, it was just the two people living together but not really connected. The way we interact and the way we treat each other now is so different. It’s based on respect, love, on God — in our decisions and what we do and how we go forward."

Today Glen and Michelle are members of CBN’s Chairman’s Circle.

"I get excited that now we’re able to give as much as we can give to CBN," Glen said, "and how much we’re able to give to our church. And I don’t do it with any hope of getting something back, and it just keeps coming. It’s just goofy."

God is true to His word! Glen and Michelle acted in obedience to God's word and were amazed by what He did in their lives. He will amaze you too!

Discover God's secret of reciprocity by becoming a CBN partner today. Through your partnership with CBN, you will help feed hungry children here in America and around the world, give practical teaching and biblical answers through The 700 Club broadcast, and bring relief to those with physical and spiritual needs. Join today.

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