The Nature of Giving

Our sermon roundtable meets every Monday afternoon.  We begin with sharing any thoughts and reactions about the previous Sunday's service, particularly the sermon.  Then we look at the texts for the coming week together. 

This week we are looking ahead to Consecration Sunday, the day we ask members to make their pledges for the year ahead.  The texts we have selected, from 2 Corinthians and Luke, focus on the nature of giving and generosity. 

2 Corinthians 9:6-15     The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written, “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Luke 21:1-4 He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”

Backing up a bit, during our discussion about the prior Sunday we began talking about changes within a congregation – transformation was the theme.  A woman recalled for us a time years ago when she had been on a presbytery committee working with two congregations that were in conversation about merging.  There was a great deal of bitterness that had built up over years between these two congregations, and it all came pouring out when they were brought together.  It was clear that a merge would not be happening, although it is important to say that the airing of their grievances did seem to have some healing effect. 

Interestingly, this anecdote came up in our conversation later, as we were talking about the Luke text.  The wealthy people in the temple are giving what amounts to token gifts – pocket change they will hardly miss.  But the widow, although she gives much less, gives all that she has.  I think the point is sacrifice.

Mother Theresa is famous for saying, “Give, but give until it hurts.”  Other people have revised that statement suggesting we should give until it feels good, but I believe that misses the point.  I remember a vacation Kim and I took to Mexico City about 30 years ago.  The value of the peso was in the basement, making it possible for us to have a five-star vacation on a tiny budget.  Children were everywhere selling small packs of chiclets, making a living for their families.  It made us feel good to give them handfuls of coins and see their eyes light up.  But the truth was, these coins were virtually worthless to us. It was no big deal.

We thought about sacrifice in the context of those two small congregations that refused to join together.  Since that time, one of the congregations has closed.  The other is still limping along – not dead but not really alive either.  All because they didn’t want to share resources, share a pastor, or give up their building.  Isn’t that the way it usually goes?

We considered the image of sowing seeds that Paul uses in the letter to Corinth.  The quantity of seeds you sow matters – sowing stingily, you can expect to receive little back.  And the kind of seeds you sow matters – these congregations that sowed seeds of bitterness, reaped emptiness. 

What are your thoughts?