NOVEMBER 24, 2003

THE GIFT OF GIVING!

I just heard the staggering statistic that Americans and Europeans spend $17 billion dollars a year on their pets, $4 billion more than is necessary to provide basic food and health care to the world's population in need. That kind of a statistic is guaranteed to produce instant guilt, which is not my intention, because I think pets are a wonderful enrichment to life, and should be properly cared for. We have a chinchilla in our home, and if my daughter had her way, we'd have a dog and a cat to keep her company. But the statistic does force us to look head-on at our wealth and our priorities. The fact is, our country is prosperous, in comparison to the rest of the world. As Christians, we believe that everything we have is a gift of God, and we are not owners, but stewards of God's blessings to us. These two facts should impact the way American Christians spend their money.

I once told a friend who is not a Christian that many Christians give 10% of our income to God through the church. He practically gasped. Ten percent seemed exorbitant to him. He suggested 3 or 4% as more manageable, although even that seemed to be a stretch for him. But I told him 10% was a minimum suggestion. Many of us in this country could do much more.

I reflected on the difference in attitude that surfaced in that conversation. Believe me, I know all too well the feeling of not wanting to part with my money. In sticker shock over the price of a movie (after our first child was born, Robert and I hadn't been out in years), I held onto our $20 bill for long, drawn-out seconds, while the teller patiently waited for me to fork it over. I have many such clutching examples I could have picked from.

But that is not my attitude when giving to God. I make that check out with true thanksgiving for his generosity towards me. I have a deep awareness of the treasure that I have in Christ, and it is out of this awareness of true wealth that I give back something to him. God has changed my natural reluctance into joy.

At Thanksgiving and Christmas our awareness of God's blessings seem to percolate to the surface, finding expression in gift-giving and serving. Among the many avenues of giving available to you, I want to challenge you in the specific area of giving to missions. Our way of doing that at the church is through Faith Promise. It's a gift over and above our regular tithes and offerings. It's a promise made in prayerful commitment to God, trusting him to supply throughout the year. It's a personal, individual commitment between you and God. The church will not contact you about your commitment. We just ask that you tell us about your goal so that we can keep track of the total amount we promise as a congregation.

There are many ways people have given to Faith Promise. Some give out of abundance, knowing that they can afford to give more than just 10%, choosing to be generous towards God. Others give sacrificially, not knowing exactly where the money will come from. Some have cut out a non-necessary monthly expense that enables them to make this promise (for example, taking lunch to work instead of eating out, cutting out an evening of entertainment, etc.). Some take an extra job, find another source of income, recycle, bake and sell goodies, etc.

As a church, we would like to stretch ourselves in missions because we want to get Lynette Young on the road! We love to have her around, but she is most desperately needed in Uruguay, the most atheistic country in Latin America. She is perfect for that country and for that ministry, and needs to be there, rather than here. We have an eye on the support of the Everetts, faithful workers who have spent their lives in service to the Lord. We'd love to help Stan Williamson with funds for a special video project, which will enable him to multiply his work in Russia. Other missionaries may also need additional support in order to continue being effective in their part of the world.

If you are not in the habit of tithing, I challenge you to discover the joy of giving to the Lord. If you already tithe, would you pray about being part of the Faith Promise team? Giving to missions is a tangible way of giving away our greatest treasure, Jesus Christ. Enclosed is a Faith Promise card. We are planning to collect the cards by Sunday, December 28. Please mail yours to the church or put it in the offering plate.

–Pastor Connie Larson DeVaughn