Nuggets #33

An Unstoppable Force by Erwin McManus
A Generous Revolution
I think many times what happens is that we teach stinginess by default. We are so afraid to talk about money and touch on issues of giving that we've taught people they can be deeply spiritual and not be generous.l In many ways we have communicated that how we deal with money is irrelevant to our spiritual lives

Each week when we stand before our guests at Mosaic, we give the classic disclaimer, "If you're a guest, please feel no obligation to give today." But every six weeks, when we introduce new members, we explain that that disclaimer no longer applies to them. The reason we can invite our guests not to give is because we as a people openly and unashamedly make the insane and unreasonable decision to give of our own hard-earned money for the cause of Christ through the local church. We believe that the use of money is a deeply spiritual issue and that how you give as an honest reflection of our heart toward God.

Paul described the Corinthian church as generous in their poverty, no generous once they were wealthy. Jesus spoke without reservation about the importance of our relationship to our material possessions. It can't get any clearer than when Jesus tells us we cannot love God and money both, but that we have to decide where to put our treasure.

I've seen a wide variety of people handle giving in a wide variety of ways. Some don't give at all, some give the same little amount every week or two, never increasing it, though their income goes up every year. Some give exactly their 10% of their gross income to the penny, and some their 10% rounded up and give to other causes, such as missions, youth, benevolence, etc. There seems to be a correlation between those who give stingily and the number of financial and other issues present in their lives. This isn't the case 100% of the time, but frequently.

I know this was true in my life as I grew into tithes and offerings. Once I trusted God to provide for me, I learned that I can't out give God. I have no idea how my income increased so much, when I was never promoted. But I did make a mistake. Wanting a promotion, I gave an extra $100, sort of seed faith, hoping God would honor that and give me the promotion. Didn't work. What I was actually doing was trying to manipulate God. "I'll give you this if you give me that." I wasn't giving with he right heart. Giving should be out of gratitude, an act of worship to the one who has given us everything we have, not because we want something in return. I won't make that mistake again.