We are so rich, I am rich. I recently watched a Rob Bell video called rich, and he talks about all the ways that we as Americans are rich. He states that 8% of the people in the world own a car, so right off the bat I’m in the top 8%. I have a job, I have a roof over my head, I am going to school, I have food, I have more than one pair of shoes, I have an entire wardrobe. I am so stinking rich. But, we see people that have a nicer car, a bigger house, newer clothes, more pairs of shoes, and we see them as rich, not us. I have been to places like Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Ghana, Dominican Republic, these places are poor. I have been to orphanages in Africa, I have seen naked begging children on the border of Cambodia and Thailand, and when I come back to my beaten up car, I see that I am rich, I see that I am blessed.
The Christians in my generation are very good at giving. My church had a theme this past Christmas called “Advent Conspiracy” where we looked outside our own personal life, to a more global perspective. We gave tens of thousands of dollars to organizations such as Love 146, whose goal is the abolition of child sex slavery, and we gave to Smile Train, who helps repair cleft palettes on children in third world nations, we gave to local charities too, and the lives of people around the world were changed. Americans are very good at giving, we are the most generous people in the world. But so often we give to the latest causes, and in a sense “pay off our convictions”, we drop a check in the offering, and I’m off the hook, but giving is so much more than that,it’s such a deeper issue.
We are good at giving, but we are not givers. To be a giver is a consistent lifestyleof giving. So often the thought is, “How little do I have to give so I can spend what I want?” when in reality, it should be ” Who little can I live on to give more?” . This is the thought of a true giver, and I’ll be the first to say that I am not there either.
Spending less should be our first thought. Do I really need that new Ipod? Do I really need those new Nike shorts? Do I reallyneed that Big Mac (for some of you that is a big no! especially middle-schoolers, if you don’t like acne, then learn not to like fast food)? More than the thought of spending less is coming to the realization that we are indeed stewards of the money that God has given us. Essentially, we are accountants for God. He gives us money, and if we spend it where we are not supposed to, He(being God) could stop giving us money. The Biblesays that a cattle on a thousand hills are his, God owns it all! Stewardship is so important!
Give more, well that is so much easier said than done. The truth is that we really have to come to a point where we give until it hurts. ( Oh and tithing does not count, my favorite author Craig Groeschel says it this way: “Tithing is for beginners”, so giving until it hurts is beyond the the tithe.) If you are an athlete or know an athlete, you know that when they do a work out or they go running, they are going to be in pain the next day, and for any athlete, they know that that means progress. same with Christians and giving, if you are giving, and you don’t feel it, you are not improving, you are not “maturing” in a sense. pain=gain.
Giving is so gratifying. it just feels good. I think that it is very important to always remember that God is the one who gives to us so we can give to others. Worshiping God is so important. God has provided for all of us in one way or another..if you can’t think any, I’ll give you a few examples: you are breathing..God, you have food…God, roof…God, car…God, Steak…God( Cattle on a thousand hills, aka steak..thank you Jesus!!)
Spend less, you are a steward of God’s money. Give more, God set a great example of giving by sending His son, it must be important to Him. And lastly, worship Him for all that He has done, and is doing for you!
Don’t Give…Be Givers
