No…I’m not talking about Money. I’m talking about GIVING!

 

For some reason, God has prompted me to write about money again. But, it’s not really about money, it’s about giving. Giving is only partially about money. Yes, you need to give money to help support ministries like “the meeting place” and churches, and women’s recovery programs like Hannah’s House and Grace and Mercy. These ministries and hundreds of others in our communities need money to stay afloat. For the past three years, we have been supported financially by a loyal group of people. We just appreciate them so much. We have received Bibles, items for give-aways, money for operating expenses, and a lot of other gifts. It is humbling that so many people have supported us with prayers, gifts, and service AND I am NOT here to ask for more.

Today, I was reading the story in Mark about the “widow’s mite.” To refresh your memory, here it is:

“Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in to small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44)

There has always been a debate within the modern church about whether tithing was mandatory or not. Common sense says, in order for a church to survive, she must have funding. Your pastor deserves to be supported and I believe the Bible is pretty clear about that. Read these passages:

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees, Hypocrites! For you are careful to tith even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law — justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” (Matthew 23:23-24)

I think it is pretty clear, Jesus felt we were supposed to tithe, but the attitude of the heart was just as important. 

“Remember this — a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure, ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

Again, Jesus doesn’t say STOP GIVING. He talks about it as if it is just understood as being important. Paul follows up with the same thoughts. We are to give generously, not out of compulsion, but out desire to see the Kingdom grow!

I ran across this quote from A.W. Tozer that is so powerful:

“Before the judgment seat of Christ my service will be judged not by how much I have done but by how much I could have done. In God’s sight my giving is measure not by how much I have given but by how much I could have given and how much I had left after I made my gift. The needs of the world and my total ability to minister to those needs decide the worth of my service.” A. W. Tozer

I love this quote. There should never be a debate about whether giving is mandatory for a follower of Jesus. YES, we should give. YES, we should give of our finances, our service, and our time. God doesn’t want to demand giving, he wants it to naturally flow from our relationship with him. I praise God for his wonderful gifts and blessings upon this ministry!