Tag Archives: financial giving

The Rich Fool

Leave a reply

Luke 12:13-21

I find it sadly relatable that the man seems to have been present when Jesus was speaking to the crowd about the hypocrisy of false teachers, about the necessity of fearing God, and bowing to Him. Yet, he blew it off because he had an agenda:

I WANT…

The thing is, by Law, if his brother had received the inheritance, his brother was the first-born and doesn’t owe this man anything. The man wasn’t asking Jesus to help him get what he deserved. He was asking Jesus to force his brother to give him what he did not deserve.

Who doesn’t want something for nothing? Who doesn’t look at what someone has, and want it or better for themselves? The problem of envy is a monster in all of us.

Unless we have a change of heart. Unless we move our priorities from self to God. We can have the healthiest bank accounts, the nicest homes, the newest cars, and the most expensive clothes and be the poorest of the poor if our souls are bankrupt by sin.

Thank God, through Jesus we all can receive what we don’t deserve – the forgiveness of our sins, and all the spiritual wealth of being adopted into the family of God.

That being said, I think there might be a chance this parable can suggest a works salvation. O’Donnell, The Parables of Jesus (Crossway Publishers; 2023) says Christians “must use their God-given financial means to be generous to others and thus store up treasure for the life to come. (p 24, emphasis mine). He cites 1 Timothy 6:10 and Matthew 6:20.

I guess my question is – what constitutes treasures in heaven? If our good works are compared to filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), do we present those to God in exchange for treasure in heaven? Do we give to the poor to get a star in our crown? Is that what Jesus is teaching here?

Or do we combine this with what Jesus says in Luke 17:9-10, and give simply because it’s our duty and NOT expect even a thanks from our Master. We are servants who obey, nothing more, nothing less.

Does our treasure in heaven consist of things? Or will it be the eternal souls we have touched with the Gospel? I believe this parable and the consistent teaching of Jesus teach that the only thing that matters are the souls. He Himself became a servant, emptying Himself of all the riches of heaven, and became obedient unto death on the cross. Why? It wasn’t for a nice mansion.

And Jesus is our example to follow.

No Other Motive

Leave a reply

Matthew 6:1-4

I don’t think passing an offering plate or taking a march offering goes against what Jesus is teaching in these verses. It’s not the means of giving, or even if someone sees you giving. In fact, I personally think our children are being deprived of a tangible example of the importance of giving. I digress.

As always, Jesus is speaking to our hearts. Our motives. I’ve always thought I understood that in regard to this portion of the Sermon on the Mount. But Oswald Chambers suggests I didn’t understand at all. (Studies on the Sermon on the Mount; Oswald Chambers Publishing; updated 2016).

Chambers sees Jesus telling us to “have no other motive in giving than to please God.” (Page 30) That, he says, includes being motivated to give by “they need help,” or “they deserve it,” or “it will do them good.”

No other motive.

So now I’m asking myself if I give to my church because they need to pay the bills. Do I give to missions so we’ll meet our goal? Do I take a meal because someone had surgery? Do I write my check each month thinking about my obligation to tithe, or the line-item on my tax form for charitable giving?

No other motive.

Jesus is telling us that wanting to please him ought to be our motive to the point that it’s second nature, our right hand won’t be aware of our left hand because our focus is on God.

That’s not limited to financial giving, either. I’m asking myself today if I give of my time, talents, and money with the singular goal of bringing a smile to God’s face. If others are blessed by what I do, do I consider that a bi-product of my desire to please God with my giving? Or do I consider the people who are blessed as my reason to give?

Will the decisions I make today, the words I say, the attitudes I have, and the love I express be motivated by my desire to please God, and nothing less?

That’s my prayer.

December 2; An Outpouring of Thanks

Leave a reply

2 Corinthians 7-11

God’s timing makes me smile sometimes.

Paul is writing to the Corinthians about financial giving, especially toward missionary endeavors. Now these chapters have been in the Bible for centuries, I have read them multiple of times myself, and even taught a Bible study from them. But today, God directed Paul’s words specifically toward me.

Because yesterday, our pastor introduced the Southern Baptist Mission Board’s annual Lottie Moon offering for the month of December. See what I mean about God’s timing? Our pastor, a former missionary, is passionate about sharing the Gospel with the whole world. His enthusiasm is contagious.

During his sermon he asked us to pray that God would give us each a number, an amount God would have us contribute toward our church’s goal, which by the way, seems a staggering goal compared to what we’ve given in the past. Like I said, his enthusiasm is contagious.

Anyway, as I was reading this morning and realized Paul was talking about financial support of missions, I stopped and asked God to put a dollar amount on my heart. As I read, a number kept coming to mind. “I can do that,” I answered.

I kept reading, and another, larger amount came to mind. “Really? Well, ok. I can do that,” I said. As I continued to read, another, even larger amount came to mind.

I quit reading.

Just kidding. In fact, I find it thrilling that God and I had that personal conversation this morning. Don’t you love reading His Word?

Paul said the poverty in the Macedonian churches “welled up in rich generosity.” Why shouldn’t I express rich generosity, too? I am not in poverty. He challenged me to “excel in this grace of giving.” I think I need to take that challenge.

Then Paul said, “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously, will also reap generously.” That was like a dagger to my heart.

I have to ask myself what kind of harvest I am expecting from my financial support of missions. Do I want just a tiny harvest of souls introduced to Jesus through my tiny contribution? Or do I want an extravagant number of souls saved through my extravagant gift?

I wonder how big a check any of us would write if we knew that $1=one eternal soul. Would $10 be sufficient? Is that what we are sowing, hoping for 10 people to come to the Lord?

I believe God has laid a number on my heart, and I will continue to pray and read His Word to be sure that number is truly from Him. I want to write a check equal to what God is asking of me, not because I want to please our new pastor, or to help our church reach it’s goal.

I want to give what God has laid on my heart because, like Paul said in 9:12, it is an “outpouring of thanks to God.”

And, friend, I have lots of reasons to give thanks to God. Lots of reasons! And I am learning that supporting missions is one way I can express my thanks to my generous Lord.

April 9; Palms Up

Leave a reply

I Samuel 2:1-21; Psalm 113; Judges 14:1-16:22

I think I’ve told this story before, but I thought of it again as I read I Samuel today. When I was in high school, our youth group wanted to go to a national convention in Colorado. We had bake sales, car washes, and our church hired us to clean the church once a week to earn money to go.

One Saturday I was sweeping the foyer when a lady I didn’t recognize barged in and asked, “Is the treasurer here?”

“He is downstairs,” I replied. “Do you want me to go get him for you?”

“No.” Then she shoved an offering envelope at me. “Give this to him,” she commanded. “And tell him I don’t want a dime of this going to that preacher.”

With that, she turned on her heels and walked away. I stood there, dumbfounded, for a second. Then I leaned the broom against the wall, and headed downstairs to find the treasurer. I handed him the envelope, and I remember feeling embarrassed as I relayed the woman’s message.

“Don’t worry about it,” he reassured me. “She does this all the time.”

The account in I Samuel is actually about the people receiving the offering. They had the mistaken idea they had the right to decide where that offering went. And they were bold enough to demand the best for themselves and the priests.

Today God is speaking to me about giving, about my role in the financial support of my church. We recently started a new capital campaign to raise money to build a new facility on the north end of the island. Right now we are meeting in what used to be the parking garage for the stores located on the first and second floors. Its nice, but it would be great to have our own place.

I gave to the first capital campaign, and when it was time to pledge another three year commitment I had to do some figuring. I’m retired. My income never changes. Do I continue to give what I’d been giving, or do I take a step of faith and up it? What about my general giving?

I was reminded that there are places in Scripture that talk about a 10%, and there are places that speak about giving it all. Moses told the people to give as God prompted them, and they gave so much he ended up asking them to quit giving.

The Bible also tells me God loves a cheerful giver.

Today I feel God would have me be less concerned about the number of zeros on my check, and more about my obedience to Him when He puts that number on my heart. He knows if I’m being honest or not. I want to be obedient.

I also feel God wants me to give that offering with palms up, willingly, joyfully, not trying to control where “my” money goes and doesn’t go.

Then, and maybe this is the most important thing about what God is saying to me today, I need to be in earnest prayer for those who are given the job of deciding how the money will be used for God’s glory. There is a huge responsibility attached to that. In speaking about the servants of the priest who took the choicest offering for themselves, Scripture tells us:

This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt. (I Samuel 2:17)

It’s the Lord’s offering, His money, not mine. I want to be faithful to give as He prompts me, and to give with palms up. Then I’ll pray that every dime is used in ways that furthers His Church, honors Him, and blesses people in Jesus’ name.