To Give Or Not To Give

One of my jobs - or ministries - as a volunteer is to count the church offerings each week and then keep the records of individual giving. It is a considerable amount of work, but I do enjoy doing something like this behind the scenes. I just completed preparing and distributing almost 400 annual receipts for givers and with those that I prepared for special gifts throughout the 2010 year, I've now prepared about 550 receipts for the year. While I enjoy doing this, there is a burden and responsibility to be carried. For you see, there are only three who know what a person gives to our church ministry - the giver, the Lord, and me. And at times I wish that I didn't know that information. I don't allow it to affect my thinking or my relationships with people. The amount given is really between the giver and the Lord. I am not a judge of people's finances. Now I do personally believe that a church member should, at a minimum, give their tithe to their church. Offerings above that could go to other good Christian organizations which should be held accountable for their use. But not everyone believes or accepts that and that is fine with me. I am sure that many are giving elsewhere. So, in fact, I really don't know what a person gives. And that is good and it is between them and the Lord. I do believe that we should give as an act of worship, not because we have to, and not because we hope to get something in return from God. But I also believe that God does honor and bless those that honor Him with their money. We have experienced that in so many ways. Giving is a spiritual matter. And I believe that many folks who might be shortchanging God with their money might be amazed at how their lives would change if they honored and worshipped God with their money. But that isn't why I am writing this blog. I am writing to share how watching some folks give has touched my heart and challenged me. I am not talking about the major wage earners who can give large amounts, but the folks - especially the elderly - who sacrificially give each week. These are folks who are retired and living on social security (without a cost of living raise in two years). I open their envelopes each week. When they are sick and absent they make it up the following week or they send it to the church. They are so faithful in their giving. And while their gifts are only a few dollars, I know it is a sacrifice and it touches my heart. I am reminded almost every week of the story in the Bible of the widow who gave all that she had. And this story is modeled to me each week and I am thankful for this unique experience. The Lord has been so good to our local church - we ended 2010 about $28,000 in the black, while most other Christian organizations ended deep in the red because of the economy. But as I watch the example of faithful, sacrificial giving by these seniors, I can't help but wonder what impact our church could really have if all of us - including me - gave sacrificially and joyfully as these folks do. Does your worship begin with the recognition that all you have - including your money - is a gift from the Lord and really belongs to Him? Or are you trying to worship while your hands tightly grasp your money and your possessions? Giving is a spiritual matter and the foundation of true worship.