Don't Give God A Dime

Reflections
June 28, 2009

Talking about money is dicey at best, though it may be easier during the summer, because part of the congregation is away on vacation and the rest are distracted by the heat. The difference between money and stewardship of course is great. Money is the currency of daily existence; the printed-paper and minted coins sustaining each household with the necessities of food and shelter.

Stewardship is the currency of faith. Through prayer for each other and our shared ministry, by worship attendance, in the giving of money, gift in kind donations, and in service to God through mission and ministry, one's spirit is sustained, nurtured and grows.

In 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 the Apostle Paul invites the people of Corinth to grow spiritually by an act of stewardship. The Church at Jerusalem, headed by James and consisting mostly of Jewish Christians, has fallen on hard times financially because of its boundless generosity. So Paul sends Titus (one of his spiritual offspring) to Corinth for an offering to help the Jerusalem folk. The Church at Corinth consists mostly of Gentiles and by comparison is quite well off. Earlier in the letter, by way of illustrating his expectations, he reminds them how the Macedonian Church, though poor, had been extremely generous in their giving.

In this passage he tells them the reference was not a command but an illustration of what is possible. In verse 12, Paul gets to the heart of any offering, "For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has--not according to what one does not have." It is not the size of the gift, but the eagerness of the giver to respond gratefully to God with the gift..

All too often we become lost in the dollars and cents of stewardship. Any time an offering is taken there is an implicit invitation to faithfulness. The truth is that for some of us, it is easier to commit our wallets than it is to give our lives to God. The fact remains, there will always be a natural tension between financial security and spiritual poverty. Perhaps we're afraid the offering plates are too small or the ushers are too weak to carry the weight of our hearts and souls.

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601