Isaiah 40:27-31
Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The scriptures tell us to "call upon the Name of the Lord" (Joel 2:32). Words made famous by Hillsong.
Have you ever called upon His name, asked to be lifted out of the miry clay, pleaded to soar above the storm, (yes, Hillsong has a lot to answer for) but after you say "amen" and open your eyes, you are still in the clay, the storm still rages... have you ever been there? Have you ever called out to the Lord, for even basic things that a loving father would provide... like provision, shelter, safety, peace... and then, wonder where all those prayers went?
There are things which I have been praying for since the day I became a Christian, things very close to my heart, things which keep me awake at night and make me the nervy person that I am. Things that are not outrageous nor selfish, things that I suppose many people even take for granted. I am still waiting for those prayers to be answered. (I still don't feel comfortable talking about it publicly, but those who know me well, would know what I am talking about.) Each time I allow myself to have a little hope, something happens that makes me wonder if my prayers ever reached higher than the ceiling. As I type this, my family is in disarray again, my mother is in pieces mentally and physically, and I'm finding it impossible to prepare for the final exam of my degree, in just a few days time.
My scripture readings this week lead me to the book of Acts. And I was struck by one thing - the perpetual motion of the Holy Spirit. Whether the disciples are preaching, or praying, or locked up in a prison cell... or simply walking along a road... the Holy Spirit is always moving... the disciples were merely floating buoys, caught up by the wave of the Holy Spirit. They didn't always realise it at the time, but the Holy Spirit was always moving, always in motion, always working. Paul worked hard, but the Spirit worked harder. As Isaiah 40:28 tells us: [The LORD] does not grow tired or weary. And though it seems like Paul is the main character of the book of Acts, the main stakeholder is the Spirit.
And yet, Paul suffered.
He received the Jewish punishment of 39 lashes, five times (195 lashes in total). Beaten with rods 3 times, stoned once, shipwrecked 3 times, spent one night and one day on the open sea, constantly on the move, often gone without food or drink... and, let us not forget, he started out his days as a Christian in total blindness. (See Acts 9; 2 Corinthians 11:24-29) Throughout his ministry, he spent nearly 6 years of it in prison in total. Did he not call upon the Name of the Lord? I have a suspicion that among the long list of things Paul would have prayed about, safety and peace would have been on the list. He was willing to suffer for the gospel, but surely he would said to the Lord: "Lord, let them not riot today." Though he was willing to suffer, I suspect that, like us, being human, he would have prayed that the day go smoothly without anyone getting slandered or beaten or imprisoned. Those were not improper things to ask for - surely they were things a good father, who likes to give good gifts, will grant his child. I wonder if he felt as frustrated, broken, and defeated as I feel.
And yet, in the midst of all these sufferings, he wrote the following words: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed... Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4)
"Therefore we do not lose heart." Those words can't have come easily to Paul, just like this blog article is not easy for me to write. Those words were not idle words... because a few chapters later he starts listing out his sufferings.
That is the challenge issued to us today. God promises that He is in perpetual motion, that He is working for our good, and He does not grow faint or weary. The promise is unchanging. The promise is uncompromised, no matter how compromised the circumstances may be. He invites us to trust Him. He invites us to have faith. He challenges us to not lose heart, no matter how many prayers have been unanswered, no matter how frustrated we feel, no matter how much we don't understand His ways. He challenges us to cling on to Him alone.
He does not grow tired or weary. Will you?
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Biblical stewardship
Stewardship is the concept in Christianity that nothing on in the world really belongs to us, it belongs to God, and we are the 'stewards', or managers. Therefore, biblical stewardship refers to how we, as individuals, as a society, and as a race, manage the resources that God has entrusted under our care.
I have been thinking about this topic a lot lately, I think partly because I am about to complete my degree and will be starting work next year. I have not held a full-time job for the duration of my degree, and I've almost forgotten what the taste of getting a pay-statement feels like. As I day dreamed about the things I want to do with the money, and as I sat down to plan a rough budget for next year... I wondered what exactly the bible says about money... how to earn it, retain it, and spend it. The bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and that blessed are the poor (Matthew 5:3)... does that mean we should all strive to be poor? The following exposition is a compilation of what I have come across in recent weeks of reading various sermon notes, commentaries, and of course, the Book itself. There was plenty to read, and plenty to ruminate over... a significant portion of the bible is dedicated to instructions on how to spend material wealth. A disclaimer: very very little of this is original...
The Poor
In a recent sermon, Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church defined four categories of people: the Foolish Poor, the Foolish Rich, the Righteous Poor, the Righteous rich. His main point was that the important thing is not whether you are rich or poor, but whether you are righteous or un-righteous. If you are unrighteous (and foolish), then obtaining wealth is pointless, because you have not the wisdom to steward it right.
The best descriptor for the "foolish poor" could be found in the book of Proverbs. If you are foolish and poor, it could be because you are lazy (like the sluggard described in Proverbs 20:4), or too much into 'get-rich-quick' schemes (Prov 21:5), or use excuses to avoid work (Prov 22:13). Bottom line: get off your bum and do something, there is no easy way.
The "righteous poor", according to Mark Driscoll, are those who are generous and faithful even in their poverty. Being ever the obsessive-compulsive, I had to find a few biblical references that describe the "righteous poor"... and I found it in Mark 12:41-44, a widow who was doubtless impoverished but was still generous with what she had. Perhaps also interesting is the description of a righteous yet poor widow in 1 Timothy 5:9... Paul describes a widow who is doubtlessly poor... yet blessed others in non-material ways, like bringing up children, helping others in need, providing hospitality. If you find such a widow, Paul instructs Timothy, put her on the list of people to be provided financial support from the Church. This shows that you don't have to have money to be a real blessing to those around you.
The "righteous" and "foolish" rich, I think, probably require little definition. The "righteous rich" is doubtless someone who obtained their wealth through diligence and wisdom rather than corruption, and who is generous with their wealth. Jesus had much to say about the "foolish rich"... so much so that the Rich probably deserve their own paragraph... which I will write, shortly. But first:
What the Bible says to poor people
Interestingly, I have, to date, never met someone who admits to being rich... and I've met some pretty rich people. When complimented on their wealth, most of them think about it, and say, "well, I'm not THAT rich..." and then proceed to give an example of a friend or colleague who makes much more. And since no one admits to being rich, everyone likes to blame everything on the rich people.
Before we all go admonishing the rich people, we should probably take a moment to consider: just who ARE the rich? I find it interesting that the bible defines only the rich and the poor... there is no biblical "middle class". If you are not sure where your next meal will come from, you are poor. If you only have one cloak and if it is taken from you then you will have to endure the cold of the night, then you are poor. If you are blind, deaf, lame, a widow with no means of support, then you are poor. On the other hand, if you are certain of your next meal, if you have enough to be able to lend a little to another person, if your list of possessions could be sold for any significant amount of money... then you are rich. There is no middle class.
Applying this biblical standard to our modern-day lives... I would say this: if you have ever opened a fridge full of food, and yet still feel like there is nothing you want to eat... if you have ever opened your closet and could choose from a number of shirts and jackets to wear... if you have a roof over your head... and you are reasonably sure that next month, your fridge will still be stocked up (although hopefully with different food), you will still have a closet full of clothes, and the roof will still be there... then you are biblically rich. (In fact, if you are reading this, you then you have a standard of living higher than any of the rich people of biblical times.)
Which, really, is fair enough. Those of us living in the Western societies comprise the top 10% wealthiest people in the world... the rest of the some 90% of the world's population live in abject poverty. No matter how you stack up against your friends or colleagues, you are still in the top 10% of wealthiest people. Are you feeling convicted yet? I know I am.
What the Bible says to rich people (ie - to you and me)
1. Nothing belongs to you, you're just looking after it for a short time
"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it" - Psalm 24:1. Look around you, everything in your room, your house (as well as your neighbours' houses)... everything belongs to Him.
The concept of stewardship stems from Genesis 2:15 - "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." In other words, there was no transfer of ownership... the Garden belonged to God, Adam was the care taker. Nothing has changed - the earth and everything in it still belong to God, and we are the care takers. (Without going into the climate change debate... even looking at the poverty around us... I would venture to suggest that we have not managed these resources very well.)
2. Don't get comfortable, this is not your home.
You are in the world, be you don't belong here, your citizenship is elsewhere... and we are just waiting for a time when we can go Home... so don't get too attached to your belongings here. Colossians 3:1-3 tells us to "fix our eyes on things above, not earthly things"... mostly because nothing here is going to last very long.
The book of Revelations tell us that shortly everything will be destroyed... everything that once belonged to you will be burnt to dust. I recall reading the account of someone who, in his youth, discovered he was becoming too attached to his worldly possessions, so much so that he needed to refocus his life. So he wrote the words "TO BE BURNT" on all his most prized possessions. I wouldn't suggest vandalising your car with large block letters like that... but it is a worthy sentiment. The thought of those words stamped on my lovely grand piano makes my heart pang..
3. Don't hoard. It's pointless.
There are a number of reasons people hoard... so we can feel rich, so we can eventually buy extravagant things we otherwise couldn't afford, or just so we can feel secure in the knowledge that we have enough for tomorrow.
I could think of a few examples of biblical characters who hoarded wealth. The classic example, of course, is the man described in Luke 12, who built more and more and more barns to store his grain. When he died, he could take nothing away with him. Thinking through the bible, there are quite a few others who likewise enjoyed riches and yet came to realise how fragile it all is. King Solomon built palaces and harems and streets of gold, but in Ecclesiastes pronounced it all "meaningless". Job enjoyed vast wealth, so much so that his kids could just take turns partying at each others' houses... and Job learned just fragile it all was.
4. Be wise with your possessions.
Matthew 25:14-30 is a story that describes the different ways that people steward what they have. One works hard to make his use of what he has been given; another buries it such that it is neither used, nor seen. I'm not going to repeat the story here - this blog post is going to be way too long already. However, inherent in the meaning of the story is that there is an expectation that if we have been given something to steward (whether it is material wealth, physical abilities, or 'talents'), then we must steward it well, and with wisdom.
Make no mistake, though - this story does not mean that we must all go and become financial brokers and make our money double. This story does tell us that we need to make use of what we have. The question is - how?
5. Use your possessions. Be generous. Be extravagant.
The bible calls for generous giving, there is little doubt about that. The Old Testament is wrought with laws with regards to giving to God and giving to the poor... from offerings to the temple, to the tithe, to offerings for the poor and the widowed. The book of Proverbs is filled with verses like "a generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Prov 11:25). The New Testament reinforces this - Jesus repeatedly challenges those around him to sell all their possessions. 2 Corinthians 8-9 tell us how St Paul felt about giving - and that God loves a cheerful giver. Yes, unsurprisingly, the bible calls for us to give. Not only that, give with humility, quietly, instead of shouting about it for all the world to see.
To those of us who are budgeting and managing our finances, just how much does the bible call for us to give?
How much is enough (I'm going to have a lot of fun writing about this one...)
"I do not believe we can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare." - C. S. Lewis (By the way... I LOVE C. S. Lewis! He makes me laugh and cry at the same time...)
Like Lewis so succinctly puts it, there is no way to put a definite amount on how much we ought to give. The only 'definite' amount is the tithe - the bible calls for 10% of our gross income to be given to the church. But we know also that the 10% is merely a minimum... there are also other offerings to be made, as well as offerings to the underprivileged. These other offerings are just as important as the tithe. (Matthew 23:23-24).
Mark Driscoll estimates that everything put together, the Old Testament calls for 25% of your income to be given away. 10% for the tithe, 10% for other offerings and festivals, and 5% for the poor. I would say that if you are calculating your offerings so strictly, perhaps you already have the wrong idea. The point is not how much should we give away... instead, if we regard everything as belonging to God, then the question is how much should we keep. The bible calls for us to trust God for our daily bread, so obviously we keep enough for our daily needs. What would you do with the rest of it? God was extravagant in giving up even Himself for our sake... and it is important to remember that we give to His kingdom and to those around us not because we are forced to but because we have tasted the richness that comes from His salvation. (2 Corinthians 8:9) But the practical question of 'how much'... is a question for you to ask God about, and to put into contemplation.
The famous evangelist John Wesley, who lived in the 18th Century, lived a life that offers food for thought. He made the decision to give as much away as possible... the first year, he made 30 pounds, and he discovered that his living expenses came to 28 pounds, so he gave 2 pounds away. The following year, he made 60 pounds, but he held his living expenses steady... so he was able to give away 32 pounds (a whole year's income). The year after that, his pay increased to 90 pounds... but his living expenses had not changed, and he gave the rest away. Toward the end of his career, he made 1400 pounds a year, but his yearly expenses rarely rose above 30 pounds. He kept no more than 100 pounds on him at any one time, the rest he gave away. When he died, he had nothing to bequest than the few coins in his pocket and in his dresser. Unlike the rich fool of the gospels who had amassed wealth yet could take nothing away... John Wesley died with no worldly possessions worth taking away.
Of course, our economy is somewhat different now - my income is unlikely to ever double in only one year. And yet, what touches me most about this story is that he managed to hold his expenditures steady in the face of all his income. This is sort of like an old, retired doctor (who should otherwise be rich), who still lives the frugal life of a medical student! How great the discipline!
I think, in our modern lives, our 'needs' often grow as fast as our income, if not more... such that by the time we make more money, we also have more needs. As I write this, I am wearing a pair of earrings with little purple cubes on them, that change to blue if you look at it from a different angle. I had my ears pierced last year, on a whim... and though I had no interest in earrings beforehand, I now find that I'm attracted to anything shiny, small, dangly, loopy, or hoopy. None of my earrings cost more than about $5 each... so you could say it is a "small" luxury that I enjoy. Recently, I've suffered some losses... my gold hoop earrings broke, then my pearl hoop earrings, then my pearl dangly earrings broke. My heart aches to think of the poor little pearls in my hand, detached from each other. I found myself thinking... "bugger, I don't have any hoop earrings anymore. I seriously need to find some time to buy some. I NEED some hoops!"
Do you see what I'm getting at? Last year, I wouldn't want a pair of earrings if it were given to me for free. Since I got my ears pierced, I have enough earrings to wear a different pair each day for a fortnight, and I still feel the need to go and buy more. As our wealth grows, so do our 'needs'... we feel like we need a better phone, a faster computer, a nicer car, a bigger house. Or a pair of shiny hoopy earrings. No wonder we can never spare any to give away to those who don't even know what clean water looks like.
Imprinted deeply in my memory is a scene from the film Schindler's List. It is the end of the WWII, and Schindler, a German entrepreneur, has just paid bribes to free over a thousand Jews... leaving him penniless, with nothing but a trunk of clothes and a car. The Jews gather together, a large crowd, in gratitude for what he has done for them. He looks around him... and instead of joy, and instead of feeling very proud of what he has done, he collapses to the ground and burst into tears. "I could have saved more," he cried through his tears. "Why did I keep this car? I could have saved 10 more [Jews] if I sold it. Why did I not sell this pin? It's gold! I could have saved 2 more. I could have saved more. I could have saved more. I could have saved more." No amount of comforting words from the Jews or from his wife could console from his immovable grief and guilt.
Proverbs tell us that in the day of wrath, your wealth is worthless. (Prov 11:4) Will we look back at the things we clung on to, and instead of seeing our prized possessions, will we see a lost opportunity to bless someone? Schindler sold all he had, but at the end, he still felt he could have done more. What are we clinging on to, that we ought to let go of?
Conclusion
Ok, I have covered WAY too many topics here to be able to give a nice, succinct summary of everything... from poverty to riches to stewardship to generosity to discipline.
The best summary, I think, still comes from scriptures. Matthew 6:33 - "Seek first His kingdom and righteousness, and all these will be given to you as well." Everything else... is meaningless.
I have been thinking about this topic a lot lately, I think partly because I am about to complete my degree and will be starting work next year. I have not held a full-time job for the duration of my degree, and I've almost forgotten what the taste of getting a pay-statement feels like. As I day dreamed about the things I want to do with the money, and as I sat down to plan a rough budget for next year... I wondered what exactly the bible says about money... how to earn it, retain it, and spend it. The bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10), and that blessed are the poor (Matthew 5:3)... does that mean we should all strive to be poor? The following exposition is a compilation of what I have come across in recent weeks of reading various sermon notes, commentaries, and of course, the Book itself. There was plenty to read, and plenty to ruminate over... a significant portion of the bible is dedicated to instructions on how to spend material wealth. A disclaimer: very very little of this is original...
The Poor
In a recent sermon, Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church defined four categories of people: the Foolish Poor, the Foolish Rich, the Righteous Poor, the Righteous rich. His main point was that the important thing is not whether you are rich or poor, but whether you are righteous or un-righteous. If you are unrighteous (and foolish), then obtaining wealth is pointless, because you have not the wisdom to steward it right.
The best descriptor for the "foolish poor" could be found in the book of Proverbs. If you are foolish and poor, it could be because you are lazy (like the sluggard described in Proverbs 20:4), or too much into 'get-rich-quick' schemes (Prov 21:5), or use excuses to avoid work (Prov 22:13). Bottom line: get off your bum and do something, there is no easy way.
The "righteous poor", according to Mark Driscoll, are those who are generous and faithful even in their poverty. Being ever the obsessive-compulsive, I had to find a few biblical references that describe the "righteous poor"... and I found it in Mark 12:41-44, a widow who was doubtless impoverished but was still generous with what she had. Perhaps also interesting is the description of a righteous yet poor widow in 1 Timothy 5:9... Paul describes a widow who is doubtlessly poor... yet blessed others in non-material ways, like bringing up children, helping others in need, providing hospitality. If you find such a widow, Paul instructs Timothy, put her on the list of people to be provided financial support from the Church. This shows that you don't have to have money to be a real blessing to those around you.
The "righteous" and "foolish" rich, I think, probably require little definition. The "righteous rich" is doubtless someone who obtained their wealth through diligence and wisdom rather than corruption, and who is generous with their wealth. Jesus had much to say about the "foolish rich"... so much so that the Rich probably deserve their own paragraph... which I will write, shortly. But first:
What the Bible says to poor people
- Don't be a Foolish Poor. Work hard, don't make excuses, don't be hasty. (Yes, that one is pretty clear...)
- Do not worry about your poverty, God knows your needs. Instead, seek God, seek His kingdom and righteousness, and the other stuff will come. Trust in His provision. (Matthew 6:25-34)
- Live one day at a time, ask daily to receive your daily needs, and don't worry about the next day. (Matthew 6:11, 34; Lamentations 3:22-24.)
- Don't wear yourself out to get rich. Proverbs 23:4 (Speaking as a medical professional, I'd agree... not worth it.)
- It is better to be a Righteous Poor than a Foolish Rich... so focus on being right with God instead. (Proverbs 28:6)
- Don't be dismayed if you are hard working, generous, and seek after God's ways, and yet you are still struggling. Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man didn't have a place to sleep... (Matthew 8:20)... and you, dear friend, are the follower of a homeless man. Riches in heaven are promised to you, but no one ever promised that you will be rich on earth. (Yeah, sorry. Go back to point number 1 and keep going...)
Interestingly, I have, to date, never met someone who admits to being rich... and I've met some pretty rich people. When complimented on their wealth, most of them think about it, and say, "well, I'm not THAT rich..." and then proceed to give an example of a friend or colleague who makes much more. And since no one admits to being rich, everyone likes to blame everything on the rich people.
Before we all go admonishing the rich people, we should probably take a moment to consider: just who ARE the rich? I find it interesting that the bible defines only the rich and the poor... there is no biblical "middle class". If you are not sure where your next meal will come from, you are poor. If you only have one cloak and if it is taken from you then you will have to endure the cold of the night, then you are poor. If you are blind, deaf, lame, a widow with no means of support, then you are poor. On the other hand, if you are certain of your next meal, if you have enough to be able to lend a little to another person, if your list of possessions could be sold for any significant amount of money... then you are rich. There is no middle class.
Applying this biblical standard to our modern-day lives... I would say this: if you have ever opened a fridge full of food, and yet still feel like there is nothing you want to eat... if you have ever opened your closet and could choose from a number of shirts and jackets to wear... if you have a roof over your head... and you are reasonably sure that next month, your fridge will still be stocked up (although hopefully with different food), you will still have a closet full of clothes, and the roof will still be there... then you are biblically rich. (In fact, if you are reading this, you then you have a standard of living higher than any of the rich people of biblical times.)
Which, really, is fair enough. Those of us living in the Western societies comprise the top 10% wealthiest people in the world... the rest of the some 90% of the world's population live in abject poverty. No matter how you stack up against your friends or colleagues, you are still in the top 10% of wealthiest people. Are you feeling convicted yet? I know I am.
What the Bible says to rich people (ie - to you and me)
1. Nothing belongs to you, you're just looking after it for a short time
"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it" - Psalm 24:1. Look around you, everything in your room, your house (as well as your neighbours' houses)... everything belongs to Him.
The concept of stewardship stems from Genesis 2:15 - "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." In other words, there was no transfer of ownership... the Garden belonged to God, Adam was the care taker. Nothing has changed - the earth and everything in it still belong to God, and we are the care takers. (Without going into the climate change debate... even looking at the poverty around us... I would venture to suggest that we have not managed these resources very well.)
2. Don't get comfortable, this is not your home.
You are in the world, be you don't belong here, your citizenship is elsewhere... and we are just waiting for a time when we can go Home... so don't get too attached to your belongings here. Colossians 3:1-3 tells us to "fix our eyes on things above, not earthly things"... mostly because nothing here is going to last very long.
The book of Revelations tell us that shortly everything will be destroyed... everything that once belonged to you will be burnt to dust. I recall reading the account of someone who, in his youth, discovered he was becoming too attached to his worldly possessions, so much so that he needed to refocus his life. So he wrote the words "TO BE BURNT" on all his most prized possessions. I wouldn't suggest vandalising your car with large block letters like that... but it is a worthy sentiment. The thought of those words stamped on my lovely grand piano makes my heart pang..
3. Don't hoard. It's pointless.
There are a number of reasons people hoard... so we can feel rich, so we can eventually buy extravagant things we otherwise couldn't afford, or just so we can feel secure in the knowledge that we have enough for tomorrow.
I could think of a few examples of biblical characters who hoarded wealth. The classic example, of course, is the man described in Luke 12, who built more and more and more barns to store his grain. When he died, he could take nothing away with him. Thinking through the bible, there are quite a few others who likewise enjoyed riches and yet came to realise how fragile it all is. King Solomon built palaces and harems and streets of gold, but in Ecclesiastes pronounced it all "meaningless". Job enjoyed vast wealth, so much so that his kids could just take turns partying at each others' houses... and Job learned just fragile it all was.
4. Be wise with your possessions.
Matthew 25:14-30 is a story that describes the different ways that people steward what they have. One works hard to make his use of what he has been given; another buries it such that it is neither used, nor seen. I'm not going to repeat the story here - this blog post is going to be way too long already. However, inherent in the meaning of the story is that there is an expectation that if we have been given something to steward (whether it is material wealth, physical abilities, or 'talents'), then we must steward it well, and with wisdom.
Make no mistake, though - this story does not mean that we must all go and become financial brokers and make our money double. This story does tell us that we need to make use of what we have. The question is - how?
5. Use your possessions. Be generous. Be extravagant.
The bible calls for generous giving, there is little doubt about that. The Old Testament is wrought with laws with regards to giving to God and giving to the poor... from offerings to the temple, to the tithe, to offerings for the poor and the widowed. The book of Proverbs is filled with verses like "a generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed" (Prov 11:25). The New Testament reinforces this - Jesus repeatedly challenges those around him to sell all their possessions. 2 Corinthians 8-9 tell us how St Paul felt about giving - and that God loves a cheerful giver. Yes, unsurprisingly, the bible calls for us to give. Not only that, give with humility, quietly, instead of shouting about it for all the world to see.
To those of us who are budgeting and managing our finances, just how much does the bible call for us to give?
How much is enough (I'm going to have a lot of fun writing about this one...)
"I do not believe we can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare." - C. S. Lewis (By the way... I LOVE C. S. Lewis! He makes me laugh and cry at the same time...)
Like Lewis so succinctly puts it, there is no way to put a definite amount on how much we ought to give. The only 'definite' amount is the tithe - the bible calls for 10% of our gross income to be given to the church. But we know also that the 10% is merely a minimum... there are also other offerings to be made, as well as offerings to the underprivileged. These other offerings are just as important as the tithe. (Matthew 23:23-24).
Mark Driscoll estimates that everything put together, the Old Testament calls for 25% of your income to be given away. 10% for the tithe, 10% for other offerings and festivals, and 5% for the poor. I would say that if you are calculating your offerings so strictly, perhaps you already have the wrong idea. The point is not how much should we give away... instead, if we regard everything as belonging to God, then the question is how much should we keep. The bible calls for us to trust God for our daily bread, so obviously we keep enough for our daily needs. What would you do with the rest of it? God was extravagant in giving up even Himself for our sake... and it is important to remember that we give to His kingdom and to those around us not because we are forced to but because we have tasted the richness that comes from His salvation. (2 Corinthians 8:9) But the practical question of 'how much'... is a question for you to ask God about, and to put into contemplation.
The famous evangelist John Wesley, who lived in the 18th Century, lived a life that offers food for thought. He made the decision to give as much away as possible... the first year, he made 30 pounds, and he discovered that his living expenses came to 28 pounds, so he gave 2 pounds away. The following year, he made 60 pounds, but he held his living expenses steady... so he was able to give away 32 pounds (a whole year's income). The year after that, his pay increased to 90 pounds... but his living expenses had not changed, and he gave the rest away. Toward the end of his career, he made 1400 pounds a year, but his yearly expenses rarely rose above 30 pounds. He kept no more than 100 pounds on him at any one time, the rest he gave away. When he died, he had nothing to bequest than the few coins in his pocket and in his dresser. Unlike the rich fool of the gospels who had amassed wealth yet could take nothing away... John Wesley died with no worldly possessions worth taking away.
Of course, our economy is somewhat different now - my income is unlikely to ever double in only one year. And yet, what touches me most about this story is that he managed to hold his expenditures steady in the face of all his income. This is sort of like an old, retired doctor (who should otherwise be rich), who still lives the frugal life of a medical student! How great the discipline!
I think, in our modern lives, our 'needs' often grow as fast as our income, if not more... such that by the time we make more money, we also have more needs. As I write this, I am wearing a pair of earrings with little purple cubes on them, that change to blue if you look at it from a different angle. I had my ears pierced last year, on a whim... and though I had no interest in earrings beforehand, I now find that I'm attracted to anything shiny, small, dangly, loopy, or hoopy. None of my earrings cost more than about $5 each... so you could say it is a "small" luxury that I enjoy. Recently, I've suffered some losses... my gold hoop earrings broke, then my pearl hoop earrings, then my pearl dangly earrings broke. My heart aches to think of the poor little pearls in my hand, detached from each other. I found myself thinking... "bugger, I don't have any hoop earrings anymore. I seriously need to find some time to buy some. I NEED some hoops!"
Do you see what I'm getting at? Last year, I wouldn't want a pair of earrings if it were given to me for free. Since I got my ears pierced, I have enough earrings to wear a different pair each day for a fortnight, and I still feel the need to go and buy more. As our wealth grows, so do our 'needs'... we feel like we need a better phone, a faster computer, a nicer car, a bigger house. Or a pair of shiny hoopy earrings. No wonder we can never spare any to give away to those who don't even know what clean water looks like.
Imprinted deeply in my memory is a scene from the film Schindler's List. It is the end of the WWII, and Schindler, a German entrepreneur, has just paid bribes to free over a thousand Jews... leaving him penniless, with nothing but a trunk of clothes and a car. The Jews gather together, a large crowd, in gratitude for what he has done for them. He looks around him... and instead of joy, and instead of feeling very proud of what he has done, he collapses to the ground and burst into tears. "I could have saved more," he cried through his tears. "Why did I keep this car? I could have saved 10 more [Jews] if I sold it. Why did I not sell this pin? It's gold! I could have saved 2 more. I could have saved more. I could have saved more. I could have saved more." No amount of comforting words from the Jews or from his wife could console from his immovable grief and guilt.
Proverbs tell us that in the day of wrath, your wealth is worthless. (Prov 11:4) Will we look back at the things we clung on to, and instead of seeing our prized possessions, will we see a lost opportunity to bless someone? Schindler sold all he had, but at the end, he still felt he could have done more. What are we clinging on to, that we ought to let go of?
Conclusion
Ok, I have covered WAY too many topics here to be able to give a nice, succinct summary of everything... from poverty to riches to stewardship to generosity to discipline.
The best summary, I think, still comes from scriptures. Matthew 6:33 - "Seek first His kingdom and righteousness, and all these will be given to you as well." Everything else... is meaningless.
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