August 23
Scripture focus: 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. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (The Message)
One of our local hospitals has a beautiful, large waiting area where family members sit while their loved ones are in surgery. When I go and sit with a friend or family member, I often end up meeting and sitting with strangers - not just people I know.
While waiting, we chat. During these experiences I learn a lot.
Recently, a stranger in our midst began talking about why she never went to church. "All church ever wants to do is count noses and nickels. Those preacher types don't care about anything but taking my money and putting my name on a membership roll so they can think they're doing a good job." Since she didn't know that I was a preacher type, she continued. "I think most of them get paid on commission. They probably get a percentage of the offering and maybe a small stipend per customer."
Truly, I tried hard not to chuckle. But it was such a great image! Finally, after the laughter died down, my friend turned and said, "I want to introduce you to my pastor." And the laughter began anew.
Maybe we're just disorganized, in fact, I know that is the truth! But in our NorthStar Communities we haven't devised a system for categorizing members, consistently counting noses or taking up offerings. Although I personally think all of us should be generous givers, I'm pretty sure that at NSC a person probably has to work pretty hard to give or get counted.
Whether or not we worship in a church that has figured out how to count, or one that has not – here's one boundary we can rely on. God wants us to count the cost of our giving. He wants us to only give that which we are delighted to bestow. He trusts us to make up our own minds about how we manage all that he gives us.
Isn't it interesting that God is more interested in our feelings and attitudes about a particular behavior than he is about the amount of the gift? If God is respectful of our boundaries, doesn't it make sense that we should be respectful of boundaries too?
Recommended reading: 2 Kings 22-25
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