Jesus talking about the destruction of
So how do we think about being generous and encouraging people to give of their financial resources? In reality, I don’t talk very much about money directly! I hardly ever have felt the need to do that as I believe with my whole heart that if the good news of Jesus Christ is preached, the spirit of generosity will grow in your lives to levels you can’t even imagine!
Most religious leaders feel awkward about preaching about Stewardship or money or Generosity! It’s like the young woman who wrote Dear Abby saying she wondered how she might approach her boyfriend and ask if he would pay for half the cost of her birth control pills, but said she didn't know him well enough to talk about money.[iii]
It’s too hard to talk about money and becoming a more generous person. It’s too awkward to stand up and ask you to pray and consider growing your generosity 1% of your income this year toward a tithe! Imagine giving 10% for ten or fifteen years, I would like to ask a question as I begin, “Whose birthday are we going to celebrate on December 25th? And at a birthday party, “Who receives the gifts”?
The spirit of generosity has led to the installation process for lights to the outdoor road sign three years this month since we have moved into this facility for ministry. The growing spirit of generosity in this community of faith can be seen with the 15% of our fund go outside of the church; that we are helping forty-one people this year through the Gift Tree; that we are helping out for the first time with the Thanksgiving meal program to provide a turkey dinner through PADS for $12.50 each family of four. In reality, I don’t want you to tell you me your values, let me see how you spend your money and I will tell you what you value.
The Spirit of Generosity can be seen in the first lesson reading of the 23rd Psalm. This is a lesson worth re-reading in the version that I am so accustomed to from my youth, “My Cup Runneth Over” (have congregation repeat it 2 or 3 times). In his book, The Lord Is My Shepherd, Harold Kurschner states that this part of the 23rd Psalm challenges us to move away from the idea that there are two kinds of people in the world when it comes to a cup that is half empty or half full. (Take full glass of water and drink half of it) If you think it is half empty, you are considered a pessimist. If you think the glass is half full then we must be an optimist. When you see that the cup is running over, you cannot help but express yourself through becoming a more generous person. You know that when the cup gets empty God will fill it (pour water from pitcher into glass and hold over the font and let it run into the font and let people listen to the water running over).
You will be more generous with your patience, with your time, with your kindness, with your finances and with your lives. When the Cup IS OVERFLOWING, you are aware that everyday and everything and everyone is a gift of God and we are called to celebrate! You know that when your cup is empty because of pain, loss, hurts, frustrations or things you’ve done or others have done to you, God will fill your cup again and again.
Fred Craddock is a renowned preacher who not only is a preacher, but a teacher of preachers. His father was a non-churched man who wouldn't even let the pastor or members who knocked on the door visit with him. He would just send them away. Craddock remembers his dad saying, "All they care about is money and membership. That's it. That's the only reason why they come." Toward the end of his life Fred's father was hospitalized near death and Fred came to visit him. He saw bouquets of flowers lining the room and he started to read the cards on the flowers. One said, Women's Mission Society. Then he went to another bouquet and it said, Adult Sunday School Class, and others from groups in the church. He said his dad couldn't talk because of his infirmity and so he grabbed a box of Kleenex and on the side of that Kleenex his dad wrote a line from Shakespeare when he wrote, "Draw your breath in pain to tell my story." Fred looked at his dad and said, "What's your story Dad?" Fred's father wrote three more words on the side of that box: "I was wrong".[iv]
Let us pray: Gracious God, you fill our cups again and again; and yet we are afraid there will not be enough. Help us to trust that you will provide so that we pour ourselves out upon others, in Jesus name, Amen.
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