Our church is in the middle of the “Matthew 25 Challenge” in
cooperation with World Vision. Two goals are in view – to raise our awareness
of the need that millions of people experience every day, and to open our
wallets to become part of the effort to provide clean water, basic food, and education
to parts of the world that are desperately poor. The idea that fasting for a day, drinking only
water (yes, I sure did miss my coffee!), sleeping on the floor, and such minor
inconveniences could even begin to approach the hardships that those in grinding
poverty live with is absurd. However, it is a way to drag us out of our apathy.
I’ll admit this about giving! Generosity
that is just based on sympathy or pictures of children in rags won’t last!
A far deeper change
in attitudes about our ‘stuff and store,’ about the money in the bank, must
take place for real God-honoring giving to become a way of life. Giving
that is sustained grows from the faith that sees God as our richest Resource, our
Supply.
Here is how Paul explains
that to us. "Remember
this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows
generously will also reap generously. Each
man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or
under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And
God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all
times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his
gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” Now
he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and
increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can
be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in
thanksgiving to God." (2 Corinthians 9:6-11, NIV)
Let me put it this way
- is your Christian giving more like an investment that you expect to
return a dividend or a tip for efficient service?
Every month I take a sizable chunk of money and send it off
to an institution where it is invested, used by churches and
other organizations that pay me a small fee in return that is called interest. I
‘give’ that money away with the full expectation that the funds will be there
for that time in my life when I am unable to produce an income. When I am served, in a restaurant, by the
barber, for example – I add a percentage to the total on the check that is called
a ‘tip.’ It is a way to say ‘thank you’
for serving me in this way. A tip is
given out of some generosity, I suppose, but I do not expect much of a return
on it.
God invites us to give with the full expectation of a
return. He says that our generosity is an investment. “He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into
full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be
generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.”
Some of you are gasping with shock! “Jerry, are you teaching that old lie about
seed faith, telling us to give to get?”
No, not at all. God says, “Invest in Me, every part of life, given away
generously because I am Your rich Resource, your true Security.”
Much Christian giving is more like a tip than an
investment. God gets a $20 bill on
Sunday with the idea that He’ll be good to us on Monday. When we really want a big favor, we increase
the tip.
I give because I love and trust Him, because I believe, at
the core of my being, that He is my life. Beyond money, I invest time and
effort in the work of the Lord, fully expecting that He is able to take what I
give, hold it securely, and prepare what I need for days to come. Jesus taught me that. “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20, NLT) If you’re reading that we give so that God will make us rich so we can buy all the stuff we want, you missed the point. We give so that we will become rich in godliness, so that true wealth of the Kingdom of God overflows in us, and so that we can live without being anxious about tomorrow or eternity.
I am invested in Eternal things. Are you?
Let’s invite the Holy Spirit to make the Kingdom of God, the
things of Heaven real to us, so that our giving will become an investment rather
than a tip.
Meditate on this story Jesus told about investing. Ask the
Spirit to begin to shift your treasure from things of earth to the wealth of
God! “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to
give an account of how they had used his money. The
servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five
more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have
earned five more.’ “The master was full of
praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in
handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities.
Let’s celebrate together!’" (Matthew 25:19-21, NLT)
_________
You are my strength
When I am weak
You are the treasure
That I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all
Jesus Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Taking my sin
My cross my shame
Rising again I bless Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all
Dennis Jernigan
© 1991 Shepherd's Heart Music, Inc. (Admin. by PraiseCharts
Publishing, Inc.)
CCLI License # 810055
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