Be Rich

Give More

This week in church we’re holding Children’s Church. That means that the children will not be in the room with us. That means that we are free to talk about more adult topics without having to sugar coat things for little ears. I’m sure each of you knows the topic to which I am referring. It’s a topic that has long been argued to be the dominant thought within adult minds, especially males. Of course, I am speaking of the topic of money. (What else did you think I was talking about?)

The topic of money, especially in the church, is often a taboo. Many people get the idea that the church only wants them to come for their money. It’s true that churches, much like this one, are completely dependent upon donations. We have no money to pay the heating bill or to even have a building unless it is first donated. Sayings such as, “Give until it hurts,” have given people the impression that the church simply wants everything they have.

However, the truth is, the church doesn’t want or need your money. With or without your donations to this church, the body of Christ will continue to reach out to those in need. Those that feel that the church wants everything they have have their perspective all wrong. It’s not that the church wants everything. Instead, God wants everything that we have.

I remember being a young man in church and struggling with the idea of tithing. There were many well off people in the church, and it was my feeling that those which God had given lots of money to should be the ones giving it to God. I was early in my career and was barely making ends meet. I didn’t have anything extra to give to the church, but this was where I was mistaken.

Within the gospel of Mark, we find a short passage in which Jesus is teaching his disciples in regard to the aspect of giving. It follows a number of teachings in which Jesus explains to them the mystery of the Christ and the greatest commandment and after he tackles the idea of paying taxes to Caesar. In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus sits down and, instead of teaching the people, begins to simply watch.

I came across a meme this week that seemed to sum up human psychology quite well. As the chart shows, there is a marked distinction in how people act after they find out that I am a pastor. Even before I was a pastor, I worked in a place in which people swore all the time. I was once told by one of my coworkers, knowing that I was a Christian, that I should be offended by the crude language. When interacting with others or when they know they’re being watched, people put on a show. They mask who they really are in favor of a more socially acceptable facade.

My father-in-law is a people watcher. A good time for him is going down to the mall and simply watching people as they go about their normal activities. As you sit there and blend into the ambiance, people begin to forget that you’re there. At that point they begin to act as they always do. They begin to drop their people pleasing act and behave more like themselves. It is in watching people while they don’t know they’re being watched that you can learn who they really are.

Whether intentional or not, this is what Jesus was doing. He wasn’t trying to be shifty or shady. He merely sat down in the temple courts for a rest, yet he conveniently positioned himself across from where the offerings were put so that he could watch the people.

Within the treasury there were thirteen receptacles. Each had a trumpet-shaped mouth which allowed it to receive several different types of offerings. As Jesus watched, he saw many rich people dropping large offerings into the treasury, as well as they should. Throughout scripture we have evidences of many rich men who could hardly have been considered generous (1 Samuel 25:2-11; Luke 12:16-19). However, these men, out of the abundance that God had given them, freely gave large sums to the temple. The fact that they gave at all is to be commended.

As the day went on, many people came into the temple and made offerings, but one person caught Jesus’ attention. We are given no more explanation about this woman other than that she was a poor widow. In contrast with those who had gone before her, her offering stood out.

The Greek word here used to describe the two very small coins is lepta. This was an incredibly small amount of money. Given the ever changing value of their currency, it’s difficult to determine how these values would translate in today’s currency. Scholars are across the board on these values. Many state that a denarius (common payment for a day’s wages) would have been equivalent to approximately sixteen cents in today’s currency. However, if we figure that a denarius is equivalent to a day’s wages and take into account North Dakota’s current minimum wage of $7.25, the widow’s offering would have reached a grand total of just over $0.90.

Yet compared to the grand amounts of money that others were giving as offering, this widow’s offering stood out to Jesus, not because she gave so much less but because of how she did it. As we mentioned, Jesus was watching the people. He could see their faces and body language as they placed their offering into the trumpets. What caught his eye was not the amount that the amount that people were offering but rather their attitudes.

The rich nonchalantly gave their large offerings. They didn’t think twice about the money that was being given, but Jesus likely saw the pain on this woman’s face as she wrestled with the idea of giving up all that she had to live on. Seeing this woman’s distress and her willingness to give to God, Jesus calls over his disciples to repeat a lesson that he had taught in so many ways and on so many occasions.

What was so special about this woman’s gift? All of these rich people, after giving their offerings, went home to a nice home and a good meal. All of their needs were taken care of. This widow, after giving her offering, went home to nothing. Out of her poverty, she gave what she had. In doing so she was completely dependent upon God to provide for her needs. She didn’t have any other money to ensure that have a good meal or a roof over her head. With those two coins she gave God everything she had and was relying upon him to give to her everything she needed.

I’m reminded of a story told by one of our former General Superintendents, Dr. Stan Toler. He tells of a time when he was in college. A missionary speaker came to the campus, and at the end of the message the college president stood up and addressed the student body. He told them, “Many of you will come and you will pray today. Some of you will volunteer to be missionaries. Others, God will want what you have in your pocket, in your wallet, or in your purse.”

Dr. Toler goes on to describe how he went down to the altar to pray that evening and offer his life as a missionary, but instead God told him that he wanted what was in his pocket. In his pocket that night was the entirety of his spending money for the semester, $100. He placed that one hundred-dollar bill into the offering that night. As he recalls the story he tells of how in the following weeks God blessed him in ways that he could hardly imagine.

Many times we look at amounts the people give to charities and we marvel at the sheer amount that they give. Between 2001 and 2015 Bill and Hillary Clinton donated just over $23 million to charity (namely through the Clinton Foundation). We look at that and applaud them for their generosity. Each of us would love to be able to donate $23 million dollars to the charity of our choice.

However, that $23 million dollars was only 9.8% of their adjusted gross income for that time period. At the end of the day, even after giving away $23 million dollars, they didn’t have to worry about where their next meal was coming from. They didn’t have to worry about where they were going to sleep. Unlike Dr. Toler and unlike this widow, they had more to spare. It was out of their abundance that they gave, as well as they should.

I have known Christians to give up to 80% of their income away, and they don’t get nearly the fanfare and accolades that we give to those who donate millions. But you see, in God’s eyes giving is not measured by the count but by the cost. God doesn’t measure giving based upon how much was given but by how much was kept. It’s not about equal giving but equal sacrifice. While these rich people gave their large offerings, their sacrifice was nothing compared to the two coins given by this widow.

Giving to God is a conduit through which his blessings flow. When we give to him out of our poverty, we trust that he will fulfill his promises to take care of us. No longer are we depending upon our own ability to provide food and shelter for ourselves but we’re resting in his promise that he will never leave nor forsake us. That is why giving is considered to be a spiritual discipline which draws us closer in relationship with God.

We like to think that if we write a tithe check every week then we’re doing our part in giving to God. We may think that as long as we give God his ten percent we are free to live comfortably with the other ninety, but as we see with this widow, that’s not necessarily the case. While the Old Testament specifies a ten percent tithe, the New Testament makes it clear that we are to give generously according to our means and even beyond our means (2 Cor. 8:3). We are to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). How can we fulfill this calling unless we ourselves are burdened.

God is not interested in the amount that you give. That is of little consequence. The widow in our scripture passage, while the amount of her offering was small, the sacrifice which she made was great. To some God has given much, and from them much will be expected. But regardless of how much or how little God has given to us, each of us has the responsibility to give back to him that which he has freely given to us. It’s not about equal giving but equal sacrifice.

Events

Do More

When I worked as a computer programmer, I had a friend, Brian, that I would take walks with almost every day. We’d leave at lunchtime and walk through the Wendy’s at the end of the street. We’d then proceed along our normal path down a side road behind Best Buy.

Our conversations varied from day to day. Some days we’d talk about religion, and some days we’d talk about family. However, one topic that arose fairly often was that of work. We had started working at the company as website designers, but he was hired a week before me. Over time, I moved on to be programmer and he began to climb the ranks as a supervisor.

In my area of the company, things were pretty laid back. We built the backbone and the framework upon which everything else functioned. While we had pressure to finish tasks on time and with a high standard, it was also understood that we wanted to take the time to get things right the first time.

Brian, however, was in charge of the project managers. The project managers were the ones that would work with the customers throughout the entirety of the project. If the customer had any problems, it was up to the project manager to contact the appropriate department to get the problem resolved. If the project managers couldn’t resolve the issue, or if they didn’t do it as quickly as the customer wished, the complaints would be passed up to Brian.

As I’m sure you can imagine, not all project managers were created equal. He had some that were rock stars that would take on many projects at once and would juggle them with extreme precision. There were others that couldn’t even seem to handle a hand full of projects.

During our walks Brian would vent his frustrations about his predicament. He never seemed to have enough qualified workers to pass out the vast number of projects he was expected to complete. On one hand he had workers that he couldn’t trust to do the job right, and on the other hand he had workers that were already overwhelmed by the sheer number projects he’d already given them.

He valued the workers that took on more than their share of projects, but truth be told, he needed them to take on more. Unfortunately, he had no way of compensating them for their extra effort. He had an enormous job that needed to be done, but he didn’t seem to have the proper resources to ensure that the job was done well.

Many of you can relate to that. Maybe you’ve been in a job or are currently in a job that you don’t have the resources you need to accomplish the assigned tasks. Maybe as a parent you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to properly teach and instruct your children while also taking care of your house, spouse, and the other activities to which you’re committed.

If you feel that way, you’re in good company. Not only are there millions of Americans that feel the same way, but your feelings are no different from those of Jesus’ disciples. In Mark 6:30-44 we find a situation in which Jesus has asked his disciples to do the impossible.

John the Baptist Preaching
by Mattia Preti

As we begin to look at this passage, we must first establish the context in which this scene is taking place. Just a few verses before this passage we read about the death of John the Baptist. Jesus and his disciples then take the boat across the lake to a quiet and deserted place. However, Jesus’ fame causes many to follow.

You would think that Jesus, being in much need of a reprieve, might have avoided the crowd so that he could have the solitude he sought. However, in seeing the people he has compassion on them. They are like sheep without a shepherd. Like sheep, they were without direction. Without a shepherd to guide them, they would likely perish (spiritually, not physically). So it is that even in his distress Jesus shows compassion. He takes the time to teach them, and when the day was getting late, he cared for their physical needs as well.

It’s at this point that Jesus comes off as one of the most unreasonable bosses in the world. After assessing the situation, the disciples come to Jesus and recommend that he send the people away so that they might find food to eat.

We’ve all been there before. Seeing a potential problem, you take the initiative. You assess the situation and come up with the most reasonable solution to the problem. You write out your ten page report making sure that you have contingency plans in place for even the most bizarre situations. You then bring this all to your supervisor expecting to get a pat on the back for your initiative and thorough planning. However, instead of going with your plan your boss decides to go in a completely ludicrous direction and invariably puts you in charge.

This is the situation in which the disciples find themselves. They see the problem and the most reasonable solution. They bring their findings to Jesus, recommending that he sends the crowds to find food, and instead he flips it around and tells them, “You give them something to eat.”

The disciples then did what any reasonable person would do and began to point out the flaw in the new plan. They quickly crunch some numbers and determine that it would cost eight month’s wages in order to buy enough loaves of bread to feed the people. They voice their concerns, but Jesus’ only reply is, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

It may seem here that Jesus is being extremely unreasonable. However, as we take a closer look we discover that the disciples are suffering from a syndrome that each of us have learned to cope with over time. They suffer from a syndrome known as real life.

Let’s step back for a moment. These men have been working hard to complete the ministry that Jesus has given them. Amidst all of that they then had to bury their longtime teacher and friend, John the Baptist. Remember, many of Jesus’s disciples had previously been John’s disciples. They all take off for a solitary place only to be followed by a crowd of people. Instead of seeking a new solitary place, Jesus proceeds to engage and teach the people. The day is finally over and the disciples want nothing more than to take a minute, but instead Jesus tasks them with the impossible.

I heard a story the other day about a mighty warrior. This warrior sat mounted upon his mighty horse. As he travelled down the road people and animals scurried out of his way. As he travel, he noticed along his path, in the middle of the road, lay a sparrow. The sparrow was on it’s back with its feet straight up in the air.

The warrior climbed down from his horse and knelt down by the bird in order to determine what was going on. “Are you dead?” the warrior asked. “If not, why are you laying in the middle of the road with your feet in the air?”

The bird replied, “I am not dead, sir. I heard the sky might fall down, so I’m helping to hold it up.”

The warrior roared with laughter at this response. After he’d had a good laugh, he wiped his eyes and asked the bird, “Even if the sky did fall down, what difference could you possibly make with those puny, spindly little legs?”

The sparrow replied, “Well, you do what you can do.”

This is the crux of generous living. You do what you can do. Many times as we look at this story, we’re too anxious to jump ahead to the miracle of feeding the five thousand that we miss the situation that leads up to it.

The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes
by Lambert Lombard

The disciples counted up their resources, what food they had, and bring it to Jesus. He takes the food, blesses it, and gives it back to them. Under his direction, they pass out the food just as they were instructed. They did what they could, and through the power of Christ their resources were made sufficient.

Take a look at your life and the tools and activities that fall under the banner of faithful discipleship, our stewardship giving, our sharing of time and talents, teaching in Sunday school, perhaps volunteering to serve the poor, or possibly sharing in visitation ministry. Faithfulness is not a matter of great resources. It’s not a matter of having more money, more time, more talent, or more skill. Instead, it’s doing what you can do with what you already have. It is in this mystery of faith, when we’re engaged in doing what we can do that we discover Christ’s divine presence and blessing. In Jesus’ hands, a little is more than enough.

Too many times we make excuses for why we can’t do something. We don’t make enough money to give. We don’t have enough talent to teach. We don’t have enough time to lead. Just like the disciples, we object and say that the job is too big, but Jesus tells us to take inventory. We come back and say, “See, we don’t have enough,” but Jesus says to offer what you have and to allow him to make it work.

No matter how small or insignificant you may see your contribution, it doesn’t matter. Jesus isn’t interested in how much you have to offer. He’s interested in your willingness to use the resources you’ve been given, your money, time, and skills, to impact the lives of others for his kingdom. You do what you can with what you have, and he is faithful to use it to make an impact.

Don’t be afraid to take that step. Don’t be afraid to trust him. Jesus didn’t make the bread and fish multiply until the disciples were already handing it out. He will use whatever you have to accomplish great things. You have to be willing to do more if you want to see the miracles Jesus will provide.

Tag: <span>Be Rich</span>

Give More

Do More