Over and over again

The one who plants few seeds will have a small harvest. But the one who plants a lot will have a big harvest. Each one of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give. You should not give if it makes you unhappy or if you feel forced to give. God loves those who are happy to give. And God can give you more blessings than you need, and you will always have plenty of everything. You will have enough to give to every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

How many 'seeds' have you been given? Does each seed only bear one other seed? Not hardly! Seeds have a way of multiplying when they are planted. God doesn't expect us to keep the seed of faith we have been given, but he asks us to 'plant it' deep within the hearts of those around us. Why? It will grow and be able to produce more seeds of faith that can be passed on to others!

There are many types of 'seeds' God gives us, faith being only one of those seeds. The seed faith that gives from a heart of generosity is also a good thing. We have been called to 'give', not just out of the abundance of what we have received, but sacrificially. That means we don't consider it a burden to give what God prompts us to give - time, talent, or treasure. 

Are you happy to give of yourself to others? Are you happy when you are able to give out of the abundance of your resources to help another in need? Are you happy when your talents are able to be used to bless those around you? If you cannot answer 'yes' to these questions, then maybe it is time to explore what is holding you back from sharing those 'seeds' God has placed in your possession.

There is no 'dictate' to give, but there is to be a desire to give of ourselves because so much has been given to each of us. Seeds aren't meant to be hoarded but planted. They aren't going to multiply otherwise! If you have any doubt about this, just try it! God even challenged the Israelites to bring their offerings to him for his use, 'testing' him in a way, then they saw his tremendous faithfulness to them over and over again. 

We may not think our time could be used as a blessing to another but offer it with sincerity and see how it does! We might not believe our talent can be put to use by anyone else or feel that we have a talent anybody could find a use for, but God gives each of us something unique we can offer. Offer what you have with a genuine heart and see if God doesn't just prove his faithfulness over and over again! Just sayin!

It is all about communion

I know, dear God, that you care nothing for the surface—you want us, our true selves—and so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily. And now see all these people doing the same, giving freely, willingly—what a joy! O God, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this generous spirit alive forever in these people always, keep their hearts set firmly in you. (I Chronicles 29:17-18)

There is a saying that goes something like, "You cannot put lipstick on a pig" - meaning that it is pretty much impossible to improve anything that is bad and stinky. There are lots of times I think we try to 'put lipstick on the pig', trying to make ourselves look kind of good on the outside, but forgetting that the character on the inside is what God is really after. Some may even dress up really nice for church and live like the devil the rest of the week.

While God doesn't want us going around all dirty and stinky, he also isn't as concerned about what the outside looks like as he is about the inner workings of our heart and mind. He wants those dedicated to him, first and foremost, then willing to use the grace we have been bestowed to bless the lives of others around us. Ever try to 'outgive' God's grace? It is impossible, but I have seen some try to do one good work right after another, all in the attempt to somehow do 'enough' to deserve God's blessings in their lives.

It is a futile effort to live that way, though. God cannot be 'outgiven'. His grace is limitless because our need for it is also limitless! He brings one wave of grace after another, all for the purpose of helping our minds become uncluttered, hearts undivided, and spirits undefeated. There is something that is a natural outcome of being blessed by God - giving from a grateful and dedicated heart. This is fine, but doing good works to get more blessings is never God's intent!

A generous spirit stems from embracing the generosity of God's grace. When we begin to see our emotions settled, our thoughts reordered, and our empty spirit filled to overflowing, the outcome is worship and praise. That gift of worship may not seem like much to 'give back' to God, but it is the greatest thing he can receive. Why? It lets him know we have connected our spirit with his and we are settling into the place of communion with him. This is what God is after. Even when David and Solomon set about to collect all the materials needed to construct the Temple of the Lord, the 'gifts' were not just about 'giving' - they were about communion. Just sayin!

Here's a little, but wait, there is more...

My frequent and ongoing struggle to keep weight off my body has me investigating how to keep my metabolism moving right along so I can burn the calories I put in. I have discovered fasting from a meal or two a day on occasion actually helps me to keep weight off. It isn't that I am starving myself, as I have reserves! I am just asking my body to use what it already has and not to demand what it doesn't actually need! The term "fast" has a couple of meanings, but when we use it to describe a condition of heart, mind, and soul which abstains from something in order to focus on another, we call it "fasting". There are all kinds of fasts - some from food, others from input of various forms of media, or perhaps from a special treat we enjoy. The season just before Easter is called Lent and is considered by some churches to be a season of temporary "fasting" - giving up something in order to get a little closer to God during that season. I wonder if we really have considered the kind of "fast" God is really after in our lives? It may be he is after what is keeping our heart captive and our mind focused on things that just deter us from our time with him.

"This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.' (Isaiah 58:6-9)

We focus on what we "give up" when God seems to focus on what we "do" with the time we set aside for HIS use. It is more to him a matter of us being willing to be available to do things WITH him instead of always being so willing to do them without him! God's primary purpose of asking for our "focus" is for him to "tune us into" the various needs which exist around us and sometimes within us. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own lives, we miss the apparent needs all around us. We all have something to share - yet we often don't think of the impact our action of withholding what we have at our access is to those around us! There are just times when we need to get things in order within our lives, then share how God transforms lives just as he has transformed us in those areas. Others need to learn from what we have learned. We need to be mentors in our faith.

Sharing food with the hungry can be both in the literal and spiritual sense. We almost always have the ability to share food with the hungry in the natural sense. For the majority of us, we have cupboards with extra stuff on the shelf that could meet the needs of another who is hungering for a good meal. We have the ability to give out of our "abundance" most of the time, don't we? The truth of the matter is that God also asks for us to give out of more than our abundance - simply because giving out of abundance does not cost us much! When we stop long enough to share something from a spiritual "shelf" within our lives, we are giving as God would have us give. The physical food is good - the spiritual food just "ices the cake"! We may not feel anyone would benefit from what we could share in a spiritual sense, but the opposite is quite true. I have learned some of the most profound lessons from those who thought their 'simple' learning experiences couldn't benefit anyone else! You just never know when what you have to give - even when you think it is 'too simple' to matter to anyone else - will touch the lives of those who have been hungering for that in their own lives.

Inviting the poor into your homes is a touchy subject for some, I know. We are very protective of our "space", aren't we? Guess what? You can become proficient in 'opening your home' in a very practical sense by being willing to open your heart doors to the spiritually poor first! Then you will begin to identify ways to open your doors to the physically poor later! Our willingness to meet the needs of others is one of the ways we grow in our faith. Being open to share from your heart is probably one of the biggest steps we each take in this walk of faith. We like our facades, don't we? Get real with others and you might just see how much 'good stuff' is on the shelves of your 'heart pantry' that others can actually find hope in! Put clothes of the ill-clad. We don't find it hard to part with the clothes we no longer want to wear, but have you ever given something which was your very favorite? It costs you something different, huh? In the giving of this simple gift, much is accomplished because you have shared a part of yourself that you actually enjoy!

Be available to your own families - why does God actually need to tell us this? There are times when we become so wrapped up in meeting the needs of others, we neglect our own. I think God is giving us a little "process check" here. He reminds us of the need to cultivate our own fields. Cultivated fields grow much richer crops than those which have been neglected by the passage of time and attention! We have much to "give" from within our lives , but did you ever consider what you give as a matter of "fasting"? Well, if you consider your "fast" in light of what God said about the 'fast' these many years ago, you just might find it easier to 'fast' than you ever did before! Just sayin!

A liberal God

I have always marveled at King David's absolute trust in God's love and his repeated faithfulness to turn to God when he was in a place of trial or trouble. David is attributed the "compliment" in Scripture of being a man after God's own heart. I daresay that there is no higher "compliment" or "attribute of acclaim" that carries such importance as that one! David sums up his trust for God in this one statement of truth - God delivers...he makes good. These two key understandings on David's part are what hold him together in tough times - times of trouble and trial. He has come to experience the generosity of a God that gives out of a heart without "strings attached". David is aware that God has both a "readiness" to his giving and a "liberality" in that giving.

God delivers generous love, he makes good on his word. (Psalm 57:3)

He is ready to give - even before the words are spoken from our lips that acknowledge the need we have. God stands read to meet the need, even though it can take a while for us to muster up the 'nerve' to make the need known. David often recounted the various aspects of God's care for his life. There had been "hurricane" experiences - enemies galore, manipulating relationships, untrustworthy alliances, and treacherous treks across regions he would have rather left unexplored. In each circumstance, he has experienced the generous "readiness" of God to rescue, promote, heal, and provide - regardless of David's need, he was there each and every time.

God is very liberal in his giving - there is no "half-way" with God. We see proof that he goes all the way in his love - even to the sacrifice of his own Son. We don't always understand that kind of liberality in love - it is foreign to most of us. We are the "I will love you, but with strings attached" kind of people - you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours is our mode of loving. God is just the opposite in his love - his is a love that says, "You sin, I'll redeem". You turn your back, I'll still be there. You fail, I'll rescue.

David stood in a place of trust - aware of the goodness of his Redeemer. He stood in a place of awe - amazed at the consistency of the great I AM. He relishes the place of safety - knowing that God's banner of love covered his life at every turn. Two things about God stood out to David repeatedly as he reflects them in his writing - he generously loves, and and always makes good on his word. If we want to have a heart after God's - then we'd do well to learn these things, too. Just sayin!

Be a giver

24 Some people give freely and gain more; others refuse to give and end up with less. 25 Give freely, and you will profit. Help others, and you will gain more for yourself. (Proverbs 11:24-25 ERV)

I watched a movie over vacation that was about a man wrongly imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He spent about a quarter of a century behind bars serving time for a violent crime he had been wrongly accused of all those years earlier. Yet, in the midst of all the harshness of prison, living a life he neither bargained for, nor "lived up to", he did not grow bitter. He longed for the day he'd be able to be free again. That day came when they discovered the "real" criminal because of new evidence. His release was bittersweet, though, for his main desire was to reunite with his father and have his father know of his innocence. It was almost too late, for his father was in the final stages of Alzheimer's disease and didn't recognize his own son. Isn't it just the way things go at times - we want something so desperately, only to find what we believed would be so easy becomes such a hard thing for us to deal with in the end...

One day, the released prisoner finds himself in church, but without anything to give other than himself. He explains to the preacher that he cannot put anything into the offering plate because he has nothing to give. Yet, in the scenes that are displayed one after another, we see this man giving more than he knows. He gave a young boy a much needed friend, a worried divorcee raising two children someone to watch over her and her family, and a dying father the attention of a loving son. He had so much to give, but it didn't look like much compared to those who could write out the large checks. In the end, the courts help to make right what had been wronged in this man's life, allowing him to be given a large sum of money for what amounted to his lost wages all those years. In the end, he pays off the debt of the single mother, restores hope to a dwindling church worried about keeping its doors open, and blesses more lives with his generosity than we would ever know.

Generous people don't always display their generosity in their financial giving, though. He was generous long before he had come into money. He gave of his time maintaining the property of the single mother. He gave of himself to a boy without a good father image, feeling lonely and bullied by his peers. He gave what he was - not what he possessed. In the end, it may just be the greatest lesson some of us can learn - what we are is much more important to others than what it is we can "give". When we give of our true selves to another, blessing them in turn, we may be giving the greatest gift we can give. Just sayin!

Exercise that "giving muscle" today

"Behold I do not give lectures or a little charity, When I give I give myself." (Walt Whitman)  There are a whole lot of things and way we can give.  Many of us have "given" blood and would "give" more blood when called upon to do so.  Some have given of their time in the military forces, protecting our freedom as a nation.  Others give to charities in the form of foodstuffs for food banks, clothing for the homeless, or used goods to local thrift stores who employ men and women down on their luck.  A lot of church-goers "give" regularly into collection plates passed during service.  Some will give of their time, others of their belongings, some even give of their excess, while others give "till it hurts".  Despite all the ways of giving, none rises quite as close to the top of the list as when one gives themselves to another in service.

But I will say this to encourage your generosity: the one who plants little harvests little, and the one who plants plenty harvests plenty. Giving grows out of the heart—otherwise, you’ve reluctantly grumbled “yes” because you felt you had to or because you couldn’t say “no,” but this isn’t the way God wants it. For we know that “God loves a cheerful giver.” God is ready to overwhelm you with more blessings than you could ever imagine so that you’ll always be taken care of in every way and you’ll have more than enough to share.  (2 Corinthians 9:6-8 VOICE)

Yes, giving financially is essential to the continuance of works dedicated to improving the welfare of those "down on their luck", or even creating a positive environment for abused women and children to find a new start to life.  Giving of one's "stuff" is also a good way to put into use things you have outgrown, no longer find use for in your home, or just have too much of in the first place.  There is nothing wrong with these types of "giving" - it is the heart behind the giving which God is concerned with.  Too often it is easiest to give money or stuff when what is really needed is just a little bit of us!

Giving grows out of the heart.  When we begin to put heart behind our giving, we might just realize our giving changes a little.  We become more focused on making a difference by that which we give.  Even if it is financial support, we look for ways to make every penny count such as investing it wisely so it multiplies and more is available when we feel prompted to make that financial investment into someone's life, or a work just starting up which will help those in need.  I want us to notice what Paul says here - Giving GROWS.  Giving is not a stagnant thing - maybe this is why God wants us to focus not on what is given as much as the heart behind the giving.

At first, we might give because we feel compelled to - maybe because something has tugged on an "emotional string" in our heart, or because we know the one to whom we are giving and care enough about them to meet some need they have at the moment.  The more we exercise the "giving muscle", the stronger the desire becomes to invest of one's self into the effort of giving.  Notice what I said there - investing of one's self into the EFFORT of giving. Giving is not to be an easy thing - just happen-chance and off-the-cuff.  It is to be purposeful, with intent, and commitment.

Yes, there are opportunities to give "off-the-cuff", as when you see someone standing on a street corner, obviously without a home of their own, and you take them a sack of food from a local restaurant.  You might not have planned that specific moment of giving, but honestly, you did it because you were moved and you listened to that "niggling".  The more we put forth the effort of giving, the stronger our "giving muscle" becomes.  The more we desire to be "active" in giving.  This is what Paul means by giving "grows" from the heart.  It might begin kind of haphazardly, but the more we practice purposeful giving, the more it becomes a muscle we exercise quite frequently.

Giving of one's self is the toughest form of giving - for it means we invest "us" into the lives of others, giving of our time or talent, and not just throwing a couple bucks in the plate as it passes by.  It is found in those moments when you stop your busy schedule and pull that small child close who just wants to cuddle and read a book for a while.  Or perhaps it is in the time you take away from your tasks and just focus on one a coworker is struggling with a little.  It starts small, but giving always builds - for the heart never dwindles in giving - it swells!  Just sayin!

Be a blessing

There is a reward which comes from doing something because you know it is right and you know there just isn't anyone who needs to know what you have done.  It is a deep-down sense of satisfaction with doing "right" or "good" without having to "account" for your actions to anyone other than yourself. The fact is - God sees those actions and he takes note of them, even when others don't see them.  In the practice of the religious zealots of the day when Jesus was delivering this sermon, there was this custom of making a "big deal" of doing the "right thing".  The gifts were brought to the temple and a "show" was made of the significant "offering" someone gave who was "very religious".  Their actions on behalf of the widow or the poor were done in a noticeable fashion, so as others might be able to see them and give them praise for having "taken such favorable actions".  As Jesus put it, they already have their reward - it was the public recognition they received - they cannot count on anything from God in return for their "actions of kindness" done to "show up another".  It isn't what is done so much "openly" which gets God's attention, but what is held in the inner places of the heart and what is acted upon when you think no one else is watching.

Be careful! When you do something good, don’t do it in front of others so that they will see you. If you do that, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to those who are poor, don’t announce that you are giving. Don’t be like the hypocrites. When they are in the synagogues and on the streets, they blow trumpets before they give so that people will see them. They want everyone to praise them. The truth is, that’s all the reward they will get. So when you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know what you are doing. Your giving should be done in private. Your Father can see what is done in private, and he will reward you.  (Matthew 6:1-4 ERV)

For nearly a year we struggled with the poorest telephone connection imaginable.  The squeaks, hums, buzzes, and clicks just about made it totally impossible to carry on a conversation over the phone.  For most of us today we'd just say it was not big deal, cancel our landline service and go exclusively with our cells.  For a blind, elderly female with a lack of feeling in her fingers, being without a big buttoned, beads glued onto special numbers phone is an impossibility!  We worked and worked with our phone company, putting in repair request after repair request.  I'd talk passionately with the men who showed up to test the lines and they'd test this, that and the next thing, leaving us with a "marginally better" connection in the end.  In short order, we were right back to where started and mom was without contact with the outside world again!  

At first, this story may not seem to make sense in light of the above passage, but let me tell you the rest of the story.  We finally made some progress to get the phone company to dig up our front yard, complete with what was to be new cabling to the house which was to fix the problem permanently.  For about a week, I had a four foot trench in the front yard, a huge pile of dirt, and barricades making my house look much like a construction zone.  Finally the project was finished, the hole filled in, the sod put back into place and our phones worked - for all of about two days!  Mom was heartbroken and I was feeling like I had no answers to give her - we had tried it all and now we had no other choices, but I filed another repair ticket and pleaded with the repairman to do something once again.  He said the new cable was bad and they'd have to do it all over again - but he would have to run it passed his supervisors to see if they'd allow the work to be done again.  

I don't know about you, but this just didn't seem to be the answer we needed. We had been in this position before and we waited endless weeks to find out no one would ever come to repair it.  I just had to have someone intervene.  That is when I remembered a small card left with a handwritten note by one of the repairmen on a past visit. I had squirreled it away in the side door pocket in the car and went to get it.  You see, the number of a "supervisor" was on the card and I hoped I could make some kind of plea to have the work redone if I made contact with whoever answered on that end of the phone.  If you want to understand the significance of this piece of paper, you only need to understand I had been trying for over a year to actually talk in person with a supervisor of ANY sort at the phone company, but got nowhere because most of the time the phone trees of automated answers got me nowhere!  I don't know who left that note on my door, nor do I have any idea why they gave me the number they did, but when I called the number it was to a private cell phone of one of the supervisors who actually managed the division who needed to lay the cable we desperately needed in order to fix this problem! 

When I called, she answered with hesitation as I was calling her personal cell phone and she wondered how I got her phone number.  I apologized for calling her at home and asked if I could speak with her at work.  She gave me that number and I left a detailed message which was returned the very next working day!  Now, if you aren't getting the significance of this event, let me spell it out a little.  The supervisor took my information, committed to having someone there that day, and would update me on the findings.  By the end of the day, I had a call back, informing me the permits would be requested to dig another trench across the street, locate the exact portion of cabling which required repair, and it would be done within 5 days.  In exactly the time frame specified, the workers were busily digging the trench, locating the bad cables and rerunning them to the necessary spot.  If that wasn't enough, the supervisor called me personally to report the work was done!  

I don't know who left the number, but I consider them a blessing from God! Their "deed" done in secret was the blessing we needed!  The supervisor had no idea who gave out her personal phone number, but it was the "exact" blessing we needed in order to move forward with this necessary work.  We may not know who brings the blessing, but we know when we have been blessed.  We may not understand the significance of the blessing until we need it most, but the one leaving us the blessing knows it will be used when most needed!  Just sayin!

Teeny-tiny seeds

I am not much of a gardener myself, but I try. I had to chuckle when my daughter shared a story about how my youngest grandson and his daddy planted some seeds in their garden the other day.  In examining the packages of seeds, there were some with larger seeds in them, taking up much space in the package.  These impressed him because he could see and touch each one. Then there were the radishes.  The wee seeds in the bottom of the package just did not impress him as much.  In fact, he told her to look at the meagerness of the contents and announced that this was a waste of her money! All he could see was the seeming emptiness of the package, not the volume of tiny seeds he was planting.  If he had taken the time to spread them out one by one on the table, he'd have seen there were probably a hundred or more seeds in there - they were just tiny!  It made me chuckle because he saw it as a waste of his momma's money - like she had been ripped off by receiving a tiny bit of seed way in the bottom of this package.  If he could only recognize each of those tiny seeds as having the potential to make as many of those seeds again, he might change his mind!  Never underestimate the potential of a tiny seed!

Remember this saying, “A few seeds make a small harvest, but a lot of seeds make a big harvest.”  Each of you must make up your own mind about how much to give. But don’t feel sorry that you must give and don’t feel that you are forced to give. God loves people who love to give.  God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others.  The Scriptures say, “God freely gives his gifts to the poor, and always does right.”  God gives seed to farmers and provides everyone with food. He will increase what you have, so that you can give even more to those in need.  You will be blessed in every way, and you will be able to keep on being generous.  (2 Corinthians 9:6-11 CEV)

Both of my grandsons have been taught the value of giving to others - sharing what they have and being thoughtful to those around them.  I know this is a direct reflection of the way their parents have taught them to treat others, but it is also a direct reflection of their hearts being filled with the love of Jesus.  It is not uncommon for one of them to rush to the side of their great-grandmother's side, bringing her cane from where it rests, and helping her to navigate from one point to another.  They take extra time to help her see what they are trying to show her, even though she may never see it clearly.  Their notes of love come often and are always handwritten and done with such care.  They have learned to give their love - not just expect it in return.  They don't give their love away without a return, though - for their "GG's" heart is filled with much love for these two boys!  Love freely and it comes back to you multiplied, my friends!  

Seeds have a way of providing a harvest.  Plant a few and you will reap a harvest - plant all you have and you will fill the barns!  One of the principles we live by in our family is this concept of giving first, saving for future needs, and then learning to live off the rest.  Dave Ramsey actually teaches this principle. If we see how God prioritizes our "use" of what we have at our disposal, we often find he puts it exactly in this order.  Learning to give out of our "first-fruits" is a principle taught since the beginning of time.  God doesn't need the "first-fruits", but he knows we need to give them.  They are the first of much more to come - they are the promise of a greater harvest.  When we learn to give BEFORE we see the abundance of the harvest, we are giving out of a heart of love.  When we wait for the harvest to all be in before we give any out, we are just giving out of our abundance - there is really no sacrifice there!

This idea of being a "cheerful giver" is more than just being glad we gave.  It carries this idea of being so in tune with the heart of God that we just cannot help but allow this love we have experienced to spill over in our giving.  My grandson planted those tiny black seeds, even though he concluded his mom got ripped off by the meager contents of the package.  When he begins to see the fruitfulness of his planting, he may just draw the conclusion that it wasn't so much a waste of money!  He didn't see the potential in the seed, but he put it in the ground anyway.  Sometimes, we give in this manner.  We don't see the potential in our giving, but we do it anyway.  We don't see the love we give as mattering to another - but we give it anyway.  We don't see the forgiveness we extend as making any difference to the other person - but we give it anyway. We are giving "first-fruit" gifts because we delight in sharing the love and grace we have been given.  It may not seem to matter at first, but give freely and the harvest will come.

I know this passage deals with our financial gifts, but remember this principle applies to all we possess.  Grace and love are two divinely provided gifts in our lives - therefore, we possess them and can freely give both.  First-fruit giving suggests we give even when we don't see the potential in the harvest as of yet. If we started giving away God's love and grace in this way, I wonder what kind of harvest we might just yield?  Just askin!

Big barn, small heart

My fair share - isn't that something we have wanted since we came into this world?  Give me a little attention, or I will cry!  Feed me, or I will wail until you realize my hunger!  That toy you have, I want one just like it!  Dear Santa, please bring me...  You get the idea.  Since we came into this world, we have had not had to tell ourselves to demand or seek out the things we want, but rather we have had to learn how to deal with all the things we want to figure out if it is really stuff we have need of.  In this perplexing discovery, we might have come face-to-face with the reality that food was a necessity, but the black patent leather shoes weren't; the school clothes were, but the frilly dresses and designer jeans weren't; the reliable means of transportation was a necessity, but the shiny new car every other year was not.  We will often struggle with trying to decipher the difference between need and want all throughout life - simply because the circumstances change and we are called upon to change with them.  In time, we can become a little confused between the two, especially when we aren't aware of this nasty little thing called "greed".  They say jealousy is the "green-eyed monster", but I think greed must be its cousin!  It rears its ugly head more often than we'd like to admit and we struggle with this thing called "contentment" more often than we'd like admit.  The words we need to embrace:  "Life isn't defined by what we have - but by whose we are!"

Someone out of the crowd said, “Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance.”  He replied, “Mister, what makes you think it’s any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?”  Speaking to the people, he went on, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.”  Then he told them this story: “The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’  “Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?’  “That’s what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God.”  (Luke 12:13-21 MSG)

Isn't it so like us to go running to someone with some authority in life to "arbitrate" our differences?  This man didn't know Jesus - he just saw him as this great authority who was drawing in the masses, thinking he could intervene on his behalf to persuade his brother to give him what he was not able to get on his own.  What we don't know from the passage is any of the detail of the "disagreement" between these two brothers.  We just know one feels he has not received "his fair share" of the family inheritance and he wants it!  What we also know is the very evident tendency of Jesus to speak truth into a moment, exposing heart and soul pretty quickly!  So, when Jesus responds to the man to beware of greed in his life, I don't think he is just throwing that out there - he probably knows the inward struggle of this man's heart!  I have been in those same moments of time - coming to Jesus for what I thought was the right thing for my life only to have him expose something within my heart that wasn't allowing me to see things correctly!  In that moment of "correction", I got a little huffy and put-out with Jesus, but within a short while, I realized my attitude was impairing my ability to see what Jesus wanted me to really see!  Amazing how he does that, huh?

As was Jesus' custom, he launches into a story to "drive home" the warning he gives about not being defined by what we have (what we possess).  It is another "word picture" to help us realize the intent of his instruction, simply because we "get" words better when we "see them" in a picture!  Building new barns would be something the crowd understood, for these were places to keep their harvest - safe from predatory birds and animals; shut up against the weather.  Everyone who worked the land likely had a barn of sorts - maybe not a fancy one, but something which allowed for storage of the season's crops.  It doesn't seem like much could go wrong with building a new barn, does it?  After all, if you have enough grain to fill the first barn to overflowing, it stands to reason you need a second one to contain the excess.  The problem is, we don't really need the excess, do we?  Maybe this is what he was really trying to teach - our excess isn't doing us much good, but it could do a whole lot of good to the ones around us with tremendous need!

I subscribe to the teachings of "give first, save second, and live off the rest". This doesn't mean I figure out how much I want to live on, then determine what I can give and save in response to what I want to live on.  What it means is that I have determined my reasonable standard of living - what some might call a budget - and then I don't veer from that even when my income increases.  Our "excess" is not what defines us - it isn't going to provide anything of lasting value to our life.  What does define us is our position "IN" Christ - a child of God, loved and adored by him, cared for under the shadow of his wing, and safe in his sheltering arms.  I kind of chuckle when I go by a neighbor's house, not because he is particularly "funny", but because of the priorities he seems to have established for his life.  You see, he bought the lot next door to him, tore the house down, erected a two-story garage complete with these fancy lifts which allow him to park cars on both levels!  Exactly how many cars can you drive?  Unless I am missing something, we are all only capable of driving one car!

My neighbor subscribed to the farmer's philosophy - bigger barns make for "more stuff" he can amass!  As is always the case with Jesus, he points us to the importance of relationship, not resources.  Let's not lose sight of this important lesson in our own lives - relationship first!  First with Jesus, next with each other, then in turn touching those in our lives who cross our paths. This is better than bigger barns any day!  Just sayin!

Moved to give

Give:  to present voluntarily and without expecting compensation; to place in someone's care; provide or contribute.  There are various ways we are called to "give" of ourselves everyday - from out time to our talent, from our money to our mentoring, from our treasure to our trust.  The scripture is plain about the attitude which should be behind our giving.  The attitude we exhibit may not be the genuine one we feel, though.  If you don't believe me, remember when you put the last "gift" in the offering plate at church or wrote out the last donation check to the local charity you supported.  Now, honestly, was your heart "moved" in that moment of giving, or was it kind of just because you felt a little tug on the emotions?  Most of the time, we give because we are "moved upon" by our emotions - so we need to make sure our emotions are in line with what God has in mind, right?  Why do you think there are so many commercials with sad looking dogs, cats, seals, polar bears, and the like?  The picture paints the story better than words - so the charities tell you how bad things are for stray animals, but they also show you those sad eyes on that hound dog!  Why?  To play on your emotions!  God doesn't play on our emotions - he asks us to put our emotions under his control and then allow him to direct how it is we will express them in our giving.

Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart. The way you handle matters like this triggers God, your God’s, blessing in everything you do, all your work and ventures. There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors.  (Deuteronomy 15:10-11 MSG)

There is another passage which almost mirrors the intent of this one:

Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.  God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.  (2 Corinthians 9:6-8 MSG)

Looking at our two passages, there are some key elements which are instructions on how it is we are to give - whether it is of our time, talent, or treasure.

* There is to be no stinginess in our giving.  The root of stinginess is either in greed or a lack of trust. Greed shows a heart which is moved to think of self first.  A lack of trust is simply a sign we have not entered fully into committing our plans and purposes to God's care.  Either way, we fall short of what God desires of us as it comes to giving.  We are to allow God to change our hearts so we see the needs of others, not just our own.  We are to draw near enough to Jesus so as to take him at his Word - he says he will provide for all our needs, so when we begin to anchor our faith in his Word as truth for our lives, we begin to enter into trusting him for our needs to be met, even if we give what we have to those in need.

* Giving is to be intentional.  Our passages both refer to putting your mind into the mix.  Giving is to be done with forethought, intent, and a known purpose.  In other words, you don't give out of an emotional tug on your heart, but out of an intentional preparation to meet the needs of others.  For example, if you travel a path which takes you past many homeless people on your way to work every day, you might want to invest in a few meal coupons from a local fast food restaurant.  As you stop at those lights where you'd see them you could give them a hot meal by giving them the coupon.  Now, this may not seem like much, but it is intentional - it meets the most important need in the life of the one standing there at the moment.  The same is true when we are thinking about meeting the needs of our co-workers, family, and other relations.  Good relationships come together because there is intentional thought into what will "add to" the cohesiveness and growth of the relationship.  It is with intention we are to "give into" those relationships.

Both passages deal with the outcome of our giving - it moves God's heart!  Now, it doesn't escape my attention that some may think we should give in order to get.  I don't think for a moment that this is what God had in mind in these two passages!  In fact, he simply reminds us of the intention of his heart - for he is the ultimate "giver"!  He gives with intent.  From creation to salvation - all is with intent.  He gives without holding back.  It costs him much to give his Son for our sins, but he did not hold back the only sacrifice capable of bringing our restoration.  He gives in such a way it counts.  In other words, his gifts aren't just nice trinkets - they are the real-deal, meeting the most important needs we have at the moment.

We are asked to give all the time - how we choose to give is another story.  It isn't the volume of what you give which matters - it is the intent behind the gift!  Just sayin!

It is not the much, but the joy which is the focus!

MORE:  greater quantity, measure, amount, degree or number.  We all struggle with a desire for "more" in some sense of the word.  More love in our relationships, more hope in our future, more money in our account, more square footage in our home - the list could go on.  Suffice it to say, we often find it hard to be "content" with the hear and now - we are always looking for what lies in the future, aren't we?  I came across a little quote I'd like to share:  "All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on." (Havelock Ellis - British Psychologist)  You know what always wanting more does to us?  It burdens us down with "more"!  We have to let go of something to embrace something more.  Nothing "more" can be added where there is no room.  We make "room" by letting go, taking on the new, and saying good-bye to the old.  If we don't, they might just see us on some reality segment of the "Hoarders"!

Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say.  “More, more.”
I have God’s more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.  At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, for you, God, have put my life back together.  (Psalm 4:6-8 MSG)

The holiday shopping season has many in a tizzy these days.  The malls are crammed full.  Local strip mall parking lots are overflowing with impatience seen plainly on each driver's face.  The fast food places are overtaken by shoppers exhausted by the day's efforts, just wanting a little nourishment to continue on the quest.  Why?  Someone is on a quest for "more".  I think we almost teach our children at a very young age to continually be on this quest by having them do stuff like making their lists of "wants and wishes" for Santa.  How much "stuff" do they put on the list which they really don't need?  They ask for a new scooter to replace the old one which is working just fine.  They want roller-skates when they already have bikes, scooters, electric cars, and skateboards.  How many forms of "wheels" do we actually need?  

David put it aptly - I have God's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees!  Now, before you label me as "Scrooge", let me assure you, my children and grandchildren will get their gifts this holiday season!  But...I am focusing on not making the "wrapped gifts" the focus!  My greatest hope is for them to remember the purpose of our celebration - Christ.  Without Christ, we'd never celebrate the season!  In giving my "gifts" this holiday season, I want to create an atmosphere which focuses on the greatest gift ever given - a life for many lives.  My hope - for many to join me in this "quest" of sharing more than just "gifts", but to share life.

Albert Einstein once said, "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."  I think he hit the nail on the head - life, when laid down for another, is what makes living worth all the effort, hardship, and trial.  There is much to distract us in our journey through this life, but if we maintain our "focus" on the one truly important thing (Christ), we will be less likely to be pulled in the direction of those distractions.  Look at what David says - he enjoys what God has done in and through him.  It is this "more-than-enough" God who brings him the delight at each day's end.  Don't miss it - God is "more-than-enough".  He is our "all-becoming" one.  Whatever we need - he is all-sufficient to meet the need.  Do we need relationships to be restored?  He is more-than-enough to breakdown the walls of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness.   Do we need direction for future decisions?  He is the all-knowing one, so why do we rely upon what we can figure out in our own limited minds?

This season, let's not get caught up in the "much" of giving, but the "joy" of giving.  I think Mother Teresa said it well, "It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving."  Aren't you glad Jesus did not get caught up in the "much" of giving, but considered the "love" he had for each of us most important.  His gift - the death he bore on the cross - exemplifies the "love he put into giving".  This "extreme" love opened the way for each of us to have access to the one true God - covering over our unholy condition with the holiness of his.  I think this is what David had "tapped into" in his walk with God.  He realized the only enjoyment in life comes when God puts our life back together.  God is good at putting pieces back together, but sometimes there are pieces which no longer "fit".  Those are the pieces we need to let go of - uncluttering our lives of their influence.  In turn, he makes us whole - giving us strength for the journey.  

My prayer for you this holiday season - a life worthwhile.  Pursue the greatest gift FIRST - the gift of the "more-than-enough" God of the universe.  Who knows, if we get Christ first in Christmas, maybe the "wrapped gifts" won't matter all that much!  Just sayin!

Giving out of our need

I have heard many a person hopelessly announce, "I don't have anything to contribute."  In considering what they "have" in the light of how they may compare to another, they see their own talents or treasures as "deficient".  This is totally not true!  I believe scripture plainly addresses the issue.  Each of us is given a measure of talent - NEEDED talent.  It has a purpose - even if it is a small one.  Look at the widow with the one tiny mite (not even a penny).  She gave it all - nothing compared to the "sizable" offering of the others who came to the temple that day, but it was EVERYTHING to her.  Faithful hands and a yielded heart is all God ever wants.  


^8-11 God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one psalmist puts it, "He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out."  This most generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away, which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.  (2 Corinthians 9:8-11 The Message)


How does faith begin to arise from within us?  Certainly, it comes as we begin to yield our lives to God in surrender.  As we "center" our thoughts on him, we begin to feel the "settling" influence of his Spirit.  This very "settling" of our emotions (fears) begins to allow us to "rest" in him.  This "rest" becomes the place out of which we begin to "give" out of what he has given to us.  At first, the "giving out" from what God has given us may seem like it is small, and even insignificant, but it is a SIZABLE thing in God's eyes!


I encourage you to reread the above passage a couple of times today.  Look at the wonderful messages contained here:


1.  God can pour on the blessings - and he does it in ways so astonishing we may not fully be able to comprehend it!  I have learned God seldom meets my need in the exact manner I imagined.  In fact, he often has some other awesome way of meeting it which I would never have considered!  One thing I know for certain - God is not limited by our imagination!


2.  His presence in our life makes all things different.  His very presence is what gives us the ability to stand when we are weak, trust when all seems to be falling apart, give when it hurts, and reach out when retreating to a place of refuge would be much easier.  It is God's unique way of blessing us - give and it shall be given.


3.  God knows no limitations.  I rarely get to the place of "throwing all caution to the wind", yet it is commonplace for God to do so!  He delights in pouring into our lives - his presence, his peace, his love.  Whatever the need - he is ready.  What he gives, he desires to use as a blessing not only for us, but for those whose lives we will touch in turn.  I honestly believe this is one small way he is able to show his limitless love and power!  He uses his blessing in our lives to touch the lives of others (no matter how small it may seem).


4.  We always have something we can give away.  I frequently get the calls from the agencies who run the various thrift shops in town.  They are seeking donations of used goods they might sell within their various stores.  The concept is simple (and it is kind of biblical).  It is in the giving of what we have that others are put to work in a productive manner.  As the donation is made, the truck drivers have a mission (a purpose).  The donation is sorted by others who needed productive work.  The items are distributed to the various stores to be resold.  In so doing, even this small gift of what we saw as no longer had useful in our lives becomes a huge blessing to many, many others.  The one who purchases the item is only the recipient of it after it has been a blessing to many others along the way!  


Throw caution to the wind, my friends!  God wants both the things of our abundance AND of our need!  He delights in seeing us give from our abundance, but he is overjoyed when he sees us giving out of "need"!  In so doing, we are blessing him - but we also see the many blessings of others being touched by what God is doing in our lives.  In learning to give in such a way, we are learning to live "robust lives" in God's goodness and grace!

Want high returns on your investment?

Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns.  Don't hoard your goods; spread them around.  Be a blessing to others.

(Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 The Message)

In the United States, this is the week of Thanksgiving.  We will gather around tables across our nation with friends and family this Thursday to celebrate the season of harvest that our forefathers began so many years ago in Plymouth.  The celebration of harvest was something to relish, as the hard work of the year was drawing to a close, and the land would soon lay at rest for while prior to the planting of the next crops.  We've lost that sense of celebrating harvest over the years as our country has become far more of a manufacturing country and a lot less of an agricultural country.  Yet, we continue the celebration without any real connection to its original meaning.

In many ways, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the season we call our "holiday" season.  Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, families begin to prepare for Christmas by hanging lights, erecting decorated trees, and bringing out the nativity scene.  The stores begin to fill with all kinds of reminders that this is a season of "giving" - urging us to purchase, purchase, purchase.  The wee ones clamor for a place in line to sit on the lap of a jolly Santa figure who will listen to their pleas for a certain toy or a new bike.  In fact, over the last 20 years or so, we have seen the trend to celebrate what can only be known as the season of "HalloThanksMas".  It is the season where Halloween candy is just barely out the door, Thanksgiving decor is ushered in, and Christmas ornaments are not far behind!

I heard an interesting statistic just before Halloween that made me ponder for a while.  The reporter shared that in today's economy (and for many years now), the holiday where the most money is spent per member of the household is Christmas.  But....the second most celebrated (and costly) "holiday" is Halloween!  Does that surprise you?  Well, the statistic showed that the average household spends around $250 per person to celebrate Halloween!  Than included costumes, candy, decorations, and the parties.  Ummm...I don't know about you, but I think that is crazy!  I cannot remember the statistic for Christmas, but I was totally amazed at the amount spent on celebrating Halloween, a celebration with "roots" in celebrating the dead!

Somewhere in the mix of things, Thanksgiving took a backseat as the "beginning" of the holiday "season"!  I think we might want to reconsider our focus on this holiday!  You see, I believe that in opening our heart to the spirit of being grateful, we are opening our heart to share with others.  When we see how tremendously we have been blessed, we cannot help but want to share our blessing with others.  I don't know how God is challenging you to be a blessing to someone this holiday season, but if you reflect long enough on how his grace has changed your life, what his love continually provides, and the keeping power of his protection over your life, you will begin this holiday season well!

There are many who need nothing more than your love - evidenced in your investment of time in their lives.  There are others who need your hands - bringing them skilled help where they can no longer do the work themselves.  Then there are those that need our resources - filling their hungry bellies with nourishing meals.  Whatever God moves you toward - do it!  Don't be stingy in your THANKS - be generous in your GIVING!  Have a blessed beginning to your holiday season!