Two truths and a lie. (A churchier post than many)


True wealth is not of the pocket,
but of the heart and of the mind. –Kevin Gates

Two truths and a lie

(You’ve played this game, right? I won this game once with these statements: I have completed four marathons in my lifetime; I was once a Miss USA candidate; and I was once Drew Barrymore’s babysitter. But this article isn’t about moi.)

#1. Stewardship is something we should consider all year long, not just “in season.” True! God’s Creation clearly shows growth and focus during the springtime—but that doesn’t mean everything is on hold during the other three seasons. Summer capitalizes on what spring has begun. Autumn brings many fruits to bear, ready for harvest. And during the winter, as the creation cycle is complete, the earth rests, but is hardly inactive.

#2. Jesus talked about money all the time in his ministry. True again! Some say Jesus taught about money more than he taught about any other issue! A quick Google popped up over fifty occasions when Jesus spoke to the crowds about money, giving and stewardship.

#3. My gift is too small to make any difference at all. Lies, lies, lies! Remember when you were little, and someone you love gave you a whole dime—and you could go see a movie? A quarter meant you could also get popcorn—and maybe some jujubes! So where did you get the idea that your gift, however small, isn’t valued in God’s eyes (and in the church budget)?

Pastors often have a hard time talking about money and giving. We know: Sunday is the day you don’t want to hear about that kind of stuff! But if we are committed to lovingly and effectively serving God, we need to think and talk about money, and all the other gifts we bring before God. Our time, our talents and our treasure belong to the One who created each one of us, unique and perfect. And that, friends, is a truth we must never forget.

Monday Do you have a “change jar”? What do you do with the change you collect? Ecclesiastes 5:10

Tuesday How easily do you give to those folks who stand by the road asking for change? What would Jesus do? Matthew 6:24

Wednesday Have you ever been so poor as to have to ask for change from a stranger? How did that feel? 1 John 2:15-17

Thursday Do you have a monthly budget you try to live by? Is your gift to God part of your budget? (Is it first?) Luke 16:14

Friday On this traditional Memorial Day, pray for veterans who have found themselves homeless after returning home. Consider volunteering at a center. Philippians 4:11-13

Saturday As you pray for yourself today, give thanks for the many ways God has blessed you in your life. Job 36:11

Sunday Welcome someone you don’t recognize as you attend worship today. Invite them to sit with you. (No new faces? Invite someone next week!) 2 Corinthians 9:7

P.S. I have not completed four marathons. But—my sister and I did complete four 25-mile walks for charity in our younger days. Now you know.

Wealth is the slave of a wise man, the master of a fool. --Seneca

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spiritual dehydration

  Inside myself is a place where I live all alone, and that is where I renew my springs that never dry up. –Pearl S. Buck   The past two years (at least) have been exhausting, haven’t they? We had a pandemic that physically left us anxious and afraid. Our churches, where we go for nourishment, were closed or online longer than we wanted—and even now, we are careful. Politically, we have been divided against one another, and those wounds are still bleeding in many cases. We need to take care of ourselves. And it’s never been more difficult. What to do? How do I make time in our busy schedules—for me ? The simple answer: Whatever it takes. Remember when we would fly to a vacation destination? How the flight attendant would remind us that if the cabin loses pressure, the oxygen masks would drop down out of the ceiling? And that before we offer to help anyone else, we need to have our own masks in place ? Good advice for life in general. Today: Pause. Take inventory ...
Read more

What are you waiting for?

  The waiting is the hardest part. –Tom Petty   We spend a lot of time waiting. Waiting for the coffee to finish dripping. Waiting for the light to turn green. Waiting for the next available agent. It’s inevitable, really. We cannot always be first, and if we aren’t first, we’ll have to wait. But I think the more important thing is to ask yourself: How am I at waiting? Do I find myself getting anxious and fidgety? Am I worrying about things not going the way I really need them to go? Is my attitude rubbing off on people around me? The best way to wait is not to worry where we are in line, or gripe about wasted time. The best way to wait—is to be right there , in the moment of waiting. The disciples waited in fear; we wait in hope. Why not use this waiting time to pray? Welcome God’s presence into your heart. Ask God to bring you into the moment. Inquire what God would ask of you in this moment . Thank God for wisdom, patience, humor. . . . Take a d-e...
Read more

Don't be afraid.

Living is a great deal more than simply not dying. It is carrying out a mission, committing oneself to fashion some meaning that will attain eternity. –Leonardo Boff When asked, “What are you afraid of?” we offer a myriad of answers: snakes, spiders, flying in an airplane. But when pressed, many people, believers and non-believers alike, will admit that the one thing they fear most, at the core of their being, is death. Most of us enjoy having control over our lives, and frankly, we have very little control over, or way of knowing, how or when our earthly journey will end. And we have even fewer concrete answers about what will happen next. We have the profession of our faith and the occasional “crossing-over” story—but. No wonder death is near the top of that list. But sometimes, as I look around, it seems like people are less fearful about dying—and more afraid of living. Really cutting loose and enjoying our time together as human beings privileged to live in God’s am...
Read more