Giving

My dear friend Becca and I were talking one day about money. *Gasp* yes, we were talking about money--how much we made and how we gave it away. And in that very liberating conversation we also talked about how great it would be if people (Christians) were honest with each other with how they spent their money. Can you imagine the accountability that would take place? Imagine what it would be like to talk about how great it was to give a big ol' check to the local Lifeway Pregnancy Center so that young, troubled, hurting moms could get counseling and encouragement. Think about how we would spur each other on by hearing stories of the missionaries that were provided for and how God was changing lives through our faithfulness to His call. And I'm not even saying talking about the amounts--just talking about DOING it!

I heard a statistic that if all Christians tithed that there wouldn't be a governement welfare system in America because the Church would be able to take care of the needs of the people in the country. Can you really imagine that? The CHURCH could take care of the needs--hunger, shelter, clothing, you name it. What kind of testimony would that be when people knew that if they were in need that the Church would take care of them? Don't you think that people would have more of an interest in Jesus if they knew that His followers loved them in such a way? Doesn't that break your heart?

Why is it we are so comfortable to talk about the great things we found on sale at the mall or the neat things we bought at Michael's but we are scared to death to talk about the exhileration of buying $40 bucks in Halloween candy for the outreach our church is doing for the kids of the community this month? What would happen if we all went on a fast from spending and everytime we wanted to buy something for ourselves (that we really didn't need!) that instead we gave that money away? What would change in our hearts? And why in the world are we so stinkin' scared to talk about it?

Be encouraged! Be spurred on toward love and good deeds! Go forth and find a way to bless other people! And expect to be changed!