While we are falling on hard times this year, it is actually a time to do more good than we have in the past. The following is an interpretation of the sermon from my favorite church and I am printing excepts from Jack Bracy’s sermon with his permission. In fact, he asked that it be posted on as many blogs as is possible.
“Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not on what can’t. The heart regulates the hands.” 2 Corinthians 8:12 (MSG)
Giving is an opportunity to focus on how BIG GOD is. Using the story of how Jesus blessed the bread and fish and then fed five thousand (John 6:1-14), Jack Bracy said that it was no rt ow much you have, but how you use it that matters. Asking God to place His Blessing on what you do makes the difference. You allow the small things that you can do to bless others. Because you choose to do a “good thing” in His name, you are also blessed. So put aside some quiet time to ask God to help you make a list of things that you are capable of doing that can bless others.
Giving can make a difference in us. The giving of the widow’s mites, just a couple of pennies, (Mark 12:41-44)may be all that we can do. I remember how as a child in Catholic School we had little missions banks that we just put our change in each day during Lent and Advent seasons. At the end, we would tally up just how much we gave to missions and it would add up to a lot of money. As children we may be a bit vain about our giving but the we did give up something to give. For over a year, my wife kept putting her change into jars for a “rainy day”. When the church was starting a building project and a face-lift, we decided that the rain day had come. We rolled and counted the money and came up with over seven hundred dollars. Our pennies, turned into dollars. I could not have “budgeted” seven hundred dollars, but God blessed my “leftovers” and used them. The issue is that while it is easy to give of the excess, when we are limited in how much we can give and still do, God can and does bless overwhelmingly.
Giving affects the way I look at life’s problems. f we look at life’s problems as did the disciples in the loaves and fishes story as told in John, “What are they for so many?” they we are doomed to not bless or be blessed. If we on the other hand, look at life as what ever I do for the good of another has a ripple effect and others will be blessed as I am blessed even in my nothingness, then we can do more. It is how we preceive what we offer and how we accept the little challenges that make the difference. God blesses the intent of our hearts rather than the amount of our check. So with God’s help, make list of things you can do for others that do not have an effect on your checkbook, but put a check mark on your heart.
Giving demonstrates my gratitude for what Jesus did for me. Pastor Jack Bracy used the story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) to demonstrate that we are to make good on our debts. We are to Bless others by being faithful, honest and godly in our relations with others. And we should start with family members. But we are also to not overcharge for our services, we are not to use our “Christianity” to cheat others or to take advantage of them. If there are those who we have taken advantage of in the past, we should pay them back justly. Zacchaeus was willing to give four fold, what are you willing to give?
Make a difference in some one’s life this week by….(choose just two from the list below.)
1. Give blood.
2. Donate my excess clothes and unused items to a thrift store
3. Give up frivolous spending for a month and donate to a domestic mission program
4. Multiply my efforts to help others.
5. Do something small but in a big way.
6. Encourage a group project.
7. Share my faith story.
8. Adopt a shut-in or resident of a care facility (or a foster child). Spend time with them.
9. Offer to babysit for a young couple.
10. Forgive a debt.
Now many of these things I and my wife already do, so we have to add to the list new things to give of ourselves. If there are other things that you can do for free that are not on the list do them. This list is only a suggestion, not a mandatory list. I will add to my list forgiving those who have cased me hurt in the past without conditions.
