Generosity

Yesterday, I went with funds development staff to meet with a generous donor, a gentleman who has given large amounts of money to world mission over the past decade. As I anticipated the visit, I envisioned a man with a large house, expensive furniture, and exquisite possessions. After learning about the amount of money that was donated, I was convinced that this person was someone with a lot of wealth. I looked forward to the visit, to talking about my ministry in Zambia, and thanking this man for his generosity and support. I expected to say thank you, and to enjoy the company of a very generous person.

What I didn't expect was to find a humble, retired pastor who lived very, very simply. This was not a person who had accumulated large amounts of money, who lived luxuriously, who had a lot of extra wealth to throw around. Instead, I discovered a faithful man who lived with very little, so that he could help fund programs that sustain lives and offer hope in places of severe suffering. I did enjoy the visit very much; I learned about his years of ministry, his family, his work among people living in poverty. I discovered that he loved God deeply, loved God's children, and that his generosity was a source of joy to him, not a source of obligation. I was delighted by this man, and challenged, again, by my own attachment to possessions. How much do I give? Can I give more? Did I really need that new iPod?

Over the past few years, I have tried to move towards a true tithe. Yes, I have been a pastor for twelve years, and I probably should have started tithing a long, long time ago. But it always seemed too difficult, with the expenses of a family, the cost of daycare, etc. However, once I started to tithe, I couldn't believe how exciting it was! I could live in trust that I would have enough, and know that I got to be a part of ministries that mattered, through financial giving. Even though I was living in Michigan, I could help support a mother in Ethiopia; I could fund human rights work in Burma; I could be a part of national ministries; I could help my church provide clean water in Nicaragua; I could fund housing projects among the Lakota people in South Dakota; I could contribute to a church proclaiming God's love for all people. Offering my money helped me to realize how beautiful and powerful it is to be a part of transformation and hope.

I do not live as simply as that very generous man that I visited yesterday; not by a long shot. But he is a model to me that I can give more, and prioritize giving throughout my life. Our new job in Zambia involves a decrease in salary; it would be easy for me to pull back my giving, to claim that I just can't tithe anymore. In fact, I was on the verge of doing just that! But thanks be to God for the inspiring generosity of others - not only did this man give to world mission, he also gave to me - a reminder that I can, and should, continue to give generously. Not because it is an obligation, but because it is a joyous blessing to give. I get to be a part of a miracle every time I chose to be generous! And that really is a gift to me, and a gift to all of us. Thanks be to God!