faith – Pens and Picks

The art of giving

Is it really better to give than receive? What do the Bible and history teach us?

Examples of the generous giving of resources – such as time, talents, money, homes (for the gathering of Christians or housing of “strangers and sojourners”) – for the worship of God, the spread of the Gospel and caring for people is all over the Bible, and we have the privilege of being a part of that ongoing legacy in a variety of ways.

However, for many people, the first thing that comes to mind when the topic of giving in church is brought up is a metal or wooden plate, or maybe a velvety felt bag with wooden handles being shoved in their face as the pastor or an elder elucidate the importance of giving until it hurts and how, as Americans, we have so much comparative wealth; and, this recollection often elicits feelings of guilt or anger, or even distrust in the people/organization they are giving to, or distrust in God to “keep His end of the deal” with financial blessings. There’s also, I believe, a widely-held misconception that the amount we give must be a hard and fast 10 percent every month of the year, every year, until our eulogy is read.

While faithful, predictable giving is certainly helpful to a church when it comes to setting an annual budget (which allows for paying and hiring staff, purchasing equipment and consumables, paying rent or a mortgage, funding other ministries, etc.), that “sustained” giving is not the only way we can give. Another way is “specific” giving, such as when there’s a particular need brought up – like a building fund, a sound equipment refresh or a functioning TV for the kids’ ministry. This type of giving can be in addition to sustained giving, but it can also be a way for people who don’t give on the regular to help meet a clear need.

Sustained giving is probably the most common (and helpful) way to see your local church thrive, but there are pitfalls to avoid. If your “tithing” has become so automatic that you don’t even think about it anymore – rather, it’s just a line item in your personal budget like your internet or cell phone bills – or if you’re doing it grudgingly, then it’s probably not even healthy for your soul or truly an act of worship. Similarly, specific or sporadic giving is great to meet tangible needs and help train our hearts to hear and obey the prompting of the Lord, but we have to be sure it’s coming from a heart of worship and not from coercion – either you being guilted into emptying your wallet, or trying to force God to rain money down on you from heaven because you “sowed a seed of faith.” As God’s Word says in 1 Corinthians 9:7, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Some people have taken this verse as a “get out of giving” card in that they claim they cannot ever give because it would not be done with a right heart, or that God has never prompted them to do so. We have to see though that the Apostle Paul, when writing to the church in Corinth, said “Each one must give…” The implication is that Christians will all give, but it can look different for each of us “as we have decided in our hearts,” and it needs to be done with joy and willingness.

As with many aspects of our Christian faith, doctrine and theology, there’s a good middle road that’s sometimes hard to stay on, and we are at risk of falling into a legalistic or liberal ditch on either side. This is true of giving in that we can look at verses such as Malachi 3:6-12 (testing God by giving, and then Him pouring down blessings from heaven) and 1 Cor. 6:9 (sowing sparingly vs. bountifully) and come to an understanding that too closely resembles false “health, wealthy and prosperity” teaching. However, those verses are in the Bible, and there are many Christians out there, myself included, who have “put God to the test” in this way and, over time and are walking in what we believe to be obedience to Him, have seen God bless us in very real ways, including financial.

The point is this: the Bible is clear – Jesus Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” and the giving of our “time, talents and treasure” is nothing short of an act of worship and obedience that trains our hearts to trust in and depend upon God. Finally, and practically, generous, sacrificial giving is the way in which the people of God have been able to conduct worship (from the times of Tabernacle to the present day), spread the Gospel, and care for widows, orphans and others in need for thousands of years. The question for us today is this: how are we being called to join them?

Stingy Sowers

The parable of the Sower emphasizes the importance of the Sower, who scatters seeds broadly, illustrating that Christians should share the Gospel generously without judging the potential of the soil. The focus is on God’s role in cultivating hearts, underscoring that it’s not our job to assess but to trust in His growth.

~ Thoughts on Matthew 13:1-23 ~

One of the main characters in the parable of the Sower and Seed is often overlooked despite his name being in the colloquial title of the parable! We often get so caught up in analyzing the different types of soils and arguing whether or not any kind of plant growth is indicative of “being saved,” or if “bearing fruit” is the only way to know for sure if someone is heaven-bound. However, this namesake character is by no means unimportant, and based on the text in Matthew 13:1-23, we can infer a number of key things about this person by his actions, and even by how he sows.

The first thing to consider about this oft overlooked character is that he sows seed bountifully, broadly, and, some might even argue, carelessly. Look in the text at the way the Sower tosses seed all over the place, not just in a carefully prepared furrows as one would expect. If you were a first century Galilean with any understanding of agriculture (which many had), then you might have felt somewhat incredulous about the wastefulness of throwing seed on the hard pathway. Some sources state that in ancient times as much as 25 percent of a grain harvest was preserved as seed for the following year. So, why was the Sower was so careless about where the precious seeds fell? One possible conclusion is that the Sower is so wealthy that he can afford to scatter seeds all over the place – even where he does not expect to reap a harvest.

I think the lesson here is that we should share the Gospel “bountifully, broadly, and … carelessly.” Not careless in the sense that we are unwise or unloving in our approach to people or reckless with the message, but careless in the sense that we don’t withhold “sowing” seed on soil where we think there is no hope of a bountiful harvest, or even growth at all. The reality is, we’re not God and thus don’t know what (or, rather, who) is “good soil” or not. One only has to consider how plants (including what we would consider “weeds”) can grow in the most inhospitable places – sidewalk cracks, mountain crevasses, gutters, and seemingly every other place we don’t want green things to grow – and yet so often our efforts to cultivate thriving plants in what we deem “good soil” fail miserably. This is such a great illustration of how it’s God who causes the seed of the Gospel to take root, grow up into a mature plant, and bear fruit in someone’s life.

The point of this parable is not that we need to somehow discover what kind of soil we are, and, if we determine we’re not good soil, to then amend ourselves into tilled and cultivated ground so we can receive the Gospel. Think of how impossible that is for dirt to do for itself, and then realize that it’s only God who can break up hard ground, uproot thorns and thistles and turn barren land into a fruitful garden. Jesus says as much in the verses sandwiched between the parable of the Sower (vv1-9) and its explanation (vv18-23). Here in verses 10-17 Jesus makes it clear that God is the one who sovereignly chooses to open ears and eyes and grant understanding of the truth that leads to salvation.

So, going back to the namesake character. Most of my life I have correlated the Sower to God; but I think I have been wrong all these years. I think we, individual Christians, are the Sower, and that our calling is to freely sow the seed of the Gospel with everyone (freely we have received, so we should freely give – Matthew 10:8). Our job isn’t to do soil analysis and cautiously and sparingly plant a seed here and there in what we determine to be rich soil. Rather, we should cast the seed far and wide and trust in the One who gives the increase with the results (see 1 Corinthians 3:6-9).

Jesus knows

What does it mean to “know” someone or something? Have you ever thought about the word “know” and how our modern use of it has become lazy and overly broad? Let me explain what I mean by that.

If someone were to ask me, “Hey, do you know the song ‘Africa’ by Toto?” I’d answer, “Sure, I know that song. It’s like, “….something something something … down in Africa.” Now, I can certainly recognize a few aspects of the song – its intro, melody, the singers voice – but my “knowing” of the song is limited more to recognition or awareness. I can’t recite more lyrics than I did above; I don’t know when it was written, or what it’s even about. Sure, I could look all that info up on Wikipedia and work to memorize all the lyrics and melody so I can belt it out on karaoke night, but to be perfectly honest, I don’t want to take the time to do all that.

It’s exactly that lack of caring that is the difference between “knowing” and “knowing.” We have robbed the meaning of the word “know” of a critical aspect by using it almost exclusively as a synonym for “aware.” Think about it for a moment. How often do you simply mean “I’m aware” when you say “I know”? Futhermore, how many times do we even say “I know” dismissively, like when someone informs you of something that you’re aware of, but don’t care about? We would be better off, I think, if we stopped using “I know” when what we really mean is “I’m aware.”

Why am I saying all this? Because I’m concerned that our misuse of “know” can cause misunderstanding of how Jesus relates to us. It’s true that Jesus, being fully God, is omniscient (He knows all things), but when we think about Jesus knowing us and our thoughts, words, deeds and needs, we often settle for Him simply being aware of them, but not caring about them. This is the real difference and why it’s so important not to diminish the meaning of the word. To truly “know” is at the very least to be both aware and to care. This fuller meaning of the word matters a lot when we contemplate how Jesus relates to us.

In the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation, Jesus commands John the Apostle to write letters to seven churches that existed in the first century in what is now western Turkey. While each letter contains specific commendations, warnings and encouragements for each individual church, there is a common refrain that ties them all together – Jesus says to each of them “I know…” He knows their suffering, their needs, their sins, their future; and it’s not just an aloof awareness of those things, Jesus cares about them. He cares deeply about His Church, His bride, and just as he cared for those seven churches 2000 years ago, He is aware and cares about His Church today. Let’s take that a step further and acknowledge that Jesus is aware and cares about every one of His children who comprise the Church. He knows us – our thoughts, words deeds and needs.

What does this mean for us practically?

With regard to our sinful thoughts, words and deeds, Jesus has proven He is aware and cares by coming to die on the cross for our sins so we don’t have to. He has proven He is aware and cares because His Holy Spirit has come to convict us of sin and empower us to live obediently “in the Spirit” so that our thoughts, words and deeds are pleasing to Him.

With regard to our needs – including suffering and pain – Jesus proves He is aware and cares because He has both given us the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, and has established His Church – the family and people of God – who are called to support, comfort and love one another. Jesus proves He is aware and cares because He has given us His Word, the Bible, to teach, correct, encourage and equip us to live hope and joy-filled lives in the midst of trials and tribulations as we await the promised return of our Lord and Savior with whom we get to spend eternity because He has reconciled us to Himself through His blood.

Finally, may we all “know” – be aware and care – that “Jesus knows,” and live accordingly in gratitude, love and obedience.

Can you count the stars?

It must have been a clear night, and the desert air was likely rapidly cooling as darkness overtook the land. The dirt in the valley of the Dead Sea (as it was later called) was still stained with the blood of a massive regional battle between nine armies, and Abram the Hebrew had just successfully completed a subsequent smaller raid/rescue mission. Now, Abram, spoke in a vision with Yahweh – “God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” (Gen 14:22). God told Abram, “Fear not … I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” This was indeed a great encouragement, and was certainly affirmed by the mighty victory God had just enabled and by the fact Abram trusted in God to protect and provide for him. However, Abram’s hope for greatness was not based in earthly riches or a military victory, but in the promise he had received years earlier from Yahweh himself that he, Abram the aged, would be the father of a great people through whom all of the earth would be blessed (Gen 12:3) and who would be as numerous and uncountable “as the dust of the earth” (Gen 13:16). However, his response to God reminding him that, “I am your shield; your reward shall be very great” on this particular night was more of a lament, or even a complaint.

Abram replied to God in Genesis 15:2, “O, Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless..?” and then he went on in verse three, “Behold, you have given me no offspring…” It’s quite a bold indictment. Abram is both spurning his material blessings and (rightly) attributing his lack of a child directly to God, and is basically saying, “Because you have not given me a child, you’ve given me nothing.” Rather than strike Abram down for what appears to be disrespectful ingratitude, God reaffirms His promise to give Abram offspring so numerous that they cannot be counted – in spite of the fact he remained childless and he and his wife were elderly. In this reaffirmation of the promise, God tells his doubtful accuser to “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them” (Gen 15:5). Of course we know from the next verse that Abram “…believed the Lord, and (the Lord) counted it to him as righteousness,” and that God kept His promise.

It’s this idea of counting the stars that struck me recently. The first analogy God used of dust was clearly intended to convey that it would be more than an overwhelming task to actually count the number of Abram’s offspring, it would be impossible. For, even if you could somehow count every piece of dust (or grain of sand, as in another analogy God used with Abram), constant geologic and aeolian processes would cause more dust and sand to be created before the existing granules could be counted. However, the second analogy of the stars might have seemed to Abram as remotely possible, even though the Lord implied it was not.

Think of Abram living in the middle east without a telescope or any other way of knowing that the number of stars just in our galaxy alone far surpasses what even the keenest-visioned person can count, or that some of what he could see shining on a clear night were actually planets and even another galaxy. What he didn’t know when God told him to “look toward heaven” was that the heavens expanded past the solar system and the Milky Way galaxy, and included millions of other galaxies containing billions upon billions of stars. Even if Abram was tempted for a moment to think he could meet God’s challenge of counting the stars, his lack of knowledge and ability would have led him to a calculation that was profoundly insufficient. What might for a moment have seemed like a possibility and answer what might have been a burning question for Abram – “Just how many offspring will I have?” – was in reality a more daunting task than counting every grain of sand and piece of dust on Earth.

I think that God’s challenge to Abram is meant to do more than just test his human ability to count the stars and be impressed and encouraged by what he sees. It seems that the most impressive and encouraging aspect of God’s challenge is actually what cannot be seen – the incomprehensible magnitude of the universe that Abram knew nothing about. In the same way, the promise God made to Abram was much, much more than just that he would have a whole lot of progeny. The magnitude of the promise – as we now know – is that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, would come from Abram’s bloodline and that the children of Abram (later Abraham) would be more than just physical, but spiritual as all who believe in Jesus Christ and the Gospel are children of Abraham “by faith.”

I think God’s promises and providence are like that. It seems when God wills and acts the second, third and fourth-order effects (and so on) that ripple into eternity are good and awesome in ways we cannot fathom, and which we will get to spend eternity discovering, praising God more and more at each new bit of understanding and glimpse of God’s master plan.

There are three encouragements I want to highlight for us today: 1. We can trust God’s promises and providence because history – and hopefully our own experiences – prove God is faithful. 2. “Look toward heaven,” consider that God is working in and through the good and enjoyable as well as the hard and sad in ways you cannot even think or imagine and trust Him “…who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20) 3. Finally, consider Romans 11:33-36. “Oh, the depth and riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are His ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?’ For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.”

Failing for God

Have you ever failed? More specifically, have you ever put forth a lot time and energy into a project or task, only to have it utterly fail?

In Luke 5:1-11 we read the story of Jesus calling his first disciples to follow him, and it’s a story that begins with failure – not in the sequence of verses, per se. If we place ourselves into the story and imagine the events that led up to the narrative in the text, we can infer that because Simon Peter and his fishing partners failed to catch any fish the night before, they were along the shore tending their nets instead of hawking fresh fish at the local market. As it was, because of their lack of fishing success, they were there as Jesus found himself pressed up against the water line by a crowd of people desiring to hear Him teach. They were there to row Jesus out on one of their boats so he could be heard and seen by more people. In this instance, their failure as fishermen put them in a position to serve Jesus and enable more people to hear the message of the Kingdom.

Furthermore, I can imagine Simon sitting in the boat listening to the teaching of the man who had recently miraculously healed his mother-in-law. Was he fully engaged, hanging on to Jesus’ words, or was he distracted with the thoughts of how he and his coworkers would not have any income that day? Was he looking out at the Sea of Galilee wondering what they could have done differently to have ensured a better outcome? We may never know. But, what we do know is that he was reluctant to obey Jesus’ command to cast the net into the water once the teaching had concluded. “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” he countered. “But, at your word I will let down the nets.” Of course, we know what happened next – a record and net-breaking catch so impressive Peter fell to his knees and exclaimed, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Once the second boat and crew came out and helped Peter haul this massive catch to the shore, the text tells us they “left everything and followed him.” Left everything – including the most spectacular success of their lives. Hundreds, maybe thousands of fish left for people, birds and other critters to snatch up. Multiple days’ wages left as an offering on the altar of following Jesus. These fishermen went from utter failure to enormous earthly success to true, eternal success.

What I want to highlight here is that this story depended on what was likely divinely-orchestrated failure in that seasoned fishermen who gave all they had to give and reaped nothing did so in order to gain everything. Their failure led them to be in just the right place to unexpectedly encounter and serve Jesus and others. Their failure presented an opportunity for Jesus to create an even greater contrast between their unfruitful toil and his abundant provision. Their failure led to a recognition of their weakness and God’s greatness. And, ultimately, their failure and then overwhelming success created an even more compelling display of commitment as they walked away from the best catch of their lives to, as Jesus put it, “become fishers of men.”

Maybe this resonates with you. Maybe you’ve experienced failure that God later used to teach, grow and lead you. Or, maybe you’re in the midst of that failure right now and need to be reminded that God’s good plan for you does not depend on your earthly success, and that it’s in our weakness and failures that God moves in powerful ways to show us His goodness, wisdom and faithfulness. Remember to promise of Romans 8:28-30, and remember the failure of three Galilean fishermen – Peter, James and John – whose stories and words are in the Bible to encourage and teach us today to trust in Jesus Christ to turn our failures into fulfillment of his promises and purposes.

Photo Creator: Anry01 | Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto