How Much Should we Give?

Published on August 9, 2006 By Gideon MacLeish In Religion

This is a continuation of thought from my last article.

I believe that being absolutely surrendered to God should be the objective of a faithful Christian. If I am absolutely surrendered to God, then everything I have and am are God's. And my choices should bear witness to that surrender.

As I'm dealing with daily frustrations, there's a family that needs help. They're down, they're out, and, frankly, they're making choices that, to me, seem inexplicable. I've always had a different approach, and wouldn't choose to do things the way they are doing, but, frankly, that's my concern.

My concern, my call, is to love them, and to let God do the rest.

Since arriving here, I've wondered exactly why we were here. And, yes, I've done my fair share of venting. It hasn't been easy, to say the least. But as I am fond of saying, "nothing worth having ever is". As I've been here, I'm beginning to discover exactly why God led me here, and what he has for me. The family that won't make the choices that seem obvious to improve their lives that has been "thrown away" by the churches in the area who've understandably grown frustrated at trying to minister to a family that doesn't seem to want to be ministered to. The town drunk whose exhausted all charity because he can't break free from the bottle. And yes, the fallen minister who has turned to the career of a beggar. The latter is, admittedly, the most frustrating.

All of these are throwaways. All of these have been abandoned by traditional evangelists and ministers who didn't feel they had the resources to reach them. All of them are hopeless cases. And all of them need someone who will continue to care for them, who will continue to give even when others might deem it foolish, not necessarily gifts of money, but of food, drink, time, fellowship.

I'm drawn to hopeless cases because I know their story all too well. I was a hopeless case, and I thank God that there was always someone with something to give until my heart was ready to embrace Christ. And every one of these individuals needs someone with the capacity to love them despite their faults, and to do so unconditionally (YES, even without the condition that they accept Christ...my job is to love them, the actual accepting of Christ is up to them). Yes, I'm to be there with a ready defense of the Gospel. Yes, I am to stand in my faith, unwavering. But I am not to base my influence on numbers, or on other things that I simply cannot quantify.

To answer my title question: How much should we give? I believe it should be everything. As long as we're willing to do that, then we simply need to trust in God to fill in the blanks.

Comments

sushiK

on Aug 09, 2006

I'll give my time but not my money

Jythier

on Aug 09, 2006

I'm supposed to give it all, but it's so hard to trust God to give my family what we need. Didn't He give me the money to buy the food for us? Or is He going to provide the food some other way? I don't know. Maybe I'd understand it better if I lived it, because I'd have seen Him provide. You can't see Him do it until you trust Him enough to try it, or you have no other option...

Tova7

on Aug 09, 2006

Perhaps Gid you are being called to start a "come as you are" worship in your home?

KFC Kickin For Christ

on Aug 10, 2006

Perhaps Gid you are being called to start a "come as you are" worship in your home?

yes, this is exactly what I just said to Gid on his other thread. I think so too.

Scriptures say we are to provide for our families first. One that does not it says is worse than an infidel. God gives us opportunities as we go about our lives to give. We should be willing and ready to answer that but, it should never contradict what his word says.

I love God's welfare system in scripture. Remember Ruth? She was poor and she would glean in the corners of the fields or what was left behind on purpose for the needy. God never intended for people to live off the system or not work for an honest day's pay. He said those that do not work should not eat. Proverbs has alot to say further on this subject.

Gideon MacLeish

on Aug 10, 2006

God never intended for people to live off the system or not work for an honest day's pay. He said those that do not work should not eat.

No, God never intended for people to live off the system, KFC, and I have never said that He did. But let me lay out the math for you, shall I?

When we were in Nevada, and I was unemployed, I was scavenging cans off the highway. This netted me enough income to pay for gas and to put food in our mouths. I was clearly working, as it takes a lot of effort to walk ten miles of highway in 120 degree heat, believe me. But we had a $750 a month rent that was a month behind, we were without a car and couldn't get one for less than $1200, and the rent was adding up a $10 a day late fee. We couldn't find another place to stay, I couldn't find reliable work, and I would occasionally drive the 60 miles into Vegas to work for $6 an hour day labor. The initiative you assume to be lacking among the downtrodden was there; in fact, I was working VERY long hourse. But with over $3000 in past due bills, I would have needed to work 3-4 months at that rate of pay just to break even with what was already hanging over us...to say nothing of the additional bills that would accumulate. And before you say it, yes, a car was a necessity.

I've been passed by on the way to Damascus, KFC, and not only will I not do it to anyone intentionally, I will continue to exhort the remainder of the church to adopt the same philosophy. We MUST accept that the problems associated with poverty in this country (not poverty itself, but the byproducts...theft, drugs, murder) are byproducts of our own failure to act as Jesus would have us act. We MUST accept that we need to drastically change our attitudes in this regard.

Gideon MacLeish

on Aug 11, 2006

Isnt there a story somewhere in tbe Bible about a poor woman who annointed the Lord's feet with expensive oil, and how her gift was seen as more precious and heartfelt than those given by wealthier people?

Give till it hurts seems to be the message. Tossing a beggar a dollar doesn't mean much when you've got a thousand in your pocket, it means more if you've only got two, and it means EVERYTHING if it's the last one you have.

Exactly. We don't have a bunch of extra cash, but we buy our groceries in bulk, and we've begun skimming off our beans and rice and other staple items for other families when we bring groceries home. It's not much, but we're truly doing the best we can.

I am exploring the possibility of starting a "benevolence fund" with the three local pastors as fellow board members. The idea would be that, if there is a community need that they can't get past their church boards, they can use the benevolence fund as a source. That way they're not as beholden to their respective boards. It's just an idea, in utero, and it needs some work, but it's a start.

Gideon MacLeish

on Aug 11, 2006

Off topic, but Im curious...have you ever considered joining the Mormon church?

I do not believe the Book of Mormon to be the inspired word of God, LW. I won't enter into a debate about it due to my deep love and respect for the Mormon contingent on JU, so we'll leave it at that.

AndyBaker

on Aug 14, 2006

A few of years ago, I was in financial difficultly. So I decided to put into practice a divine law that I was confident existed. I said a prayer to Jesus, and set up a monthly standing order, sending 10% of my income to worthy charities.

Within a couple of months, extra money started coming in. I got an unexpected pay rise at work, and also, for no apparent reason, out of goodwill my mother decided to cancel one of my debts, which I had been paying off to her by monthly instalments. (She wasn’t aware of my financial troubles, incidentally.)

Thirdly, my attitudes changed toward spending money on unnecessary frivolity, and within a few months, my finances were back on good track, and from then on I began to live in financial abundance, with hearty savings accumulating.

This is the law of giving. I believe that we can afford to spend money fearlessly, in a spirit of goodwill, and can trust that God will supply us with everything we need. As long as we cling on to our money, fearing that we haven’t got enough, we block a natural flow and prevent the good coming to us, which the Father wishes us to experience. (This same principle applies to spiritual wealth, incidentally. After all, love is for-giving.)

The more we give, the more we open up a natural channel, which enables us to freely recieve.

KFC Kickin For Christ

on Aug 14, 2006

The more we give, the more we open up a natural channel, which enables us to freely recieve.

I just say...we can't outgive God.

I remember the first time I learned this. I gave $100 to someone in need and it wasn't easy for me to do at the time. The next Saturday I won $100 in oil in a roadrace. It was pretty cool.

AndyBaker

on Aug 15, 2006

just say...we can't outgive God.

too right KFC. God is in possession of unlimited resource and power, and God can do anything. We are heirs to such wealth. Why, then, doesn’t God release all His power and resource all at once, and make us all wealthy and prosperous by worldly standards?

Whilst we’re on earth, God obviously has a different agenda in mind. I believe that this agenda is primarily centred around spiritual development and the accumulation of inner wealth. When we seek first the Kingdom, worldly things will be added unto us in their own natural way. I believe this is because by seeking first the Kingdom of God, we build spiritual muscle. Once this is developed, we can afford to relax in a bit more worldly luxury, which will have been earned the right way. Worldly luxuries do little for spiritual growth, which is why this principle doesn't necessarily work the other way round.

KFC Kickin For Christ

on Aug 15, 2006

WAY TO GO ANDY!! Yes I agree. We need to be exercising our spiritual muscles. That's why walking in the spirit is so important. So I like to say I run both physically, participating in road races and just for overall fitness, and I run the race spiritually as well; the race Christ has put in front of me. To do both, we need to start unloading stuff, getting things off our back to make it easier to run.

Giving away some of our material possessions and letting go of "stuff" is a great way to run and strengthen our muscles.

AndyBaker

on Aug 15, 2006

That's why walking in the spirit is so important. So I like to say I run both physically, participating in road races and just for overall fitness, and I run the race spiritually as well; the race Christ has put in front of me. To do both, we need to start unloading stuff, getting things off our back to make it easier to run.

Giving away some of our material possessions and letting go of "stuff" is a great way to run and strengthen our muscles

Well said KFC. The less worldly and material resources we have to rely on, the more we are forced to turn to and our put our trust in Spiritual resources. This might explain why God permits times of material lack and financial challenge. Such times are great opportunities for spiritual growth.

If we have developed enough spiritual muscle, and if our priorities are right, then we can experience inner peace and strength regardless of external conditions and material lack. I’m sure this is the place where God would prefer us to be before He would like to add material wealth or luxury unto us. This would be God’s way of ensuring optimum spiritual growth.

“Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life for both the present and for the future.” - 1 Timothy 4.8 (Good News Bible)

If we're not particularly developed spiritually, then we needn't worry. Jesus asks us to unload our burdens onto Him, because He’s got the muscle to carry them and the foresight to guide us through.

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