FROM THE PASTOR
Are You a Giver
A number of years ago, I was at a leadership conference and the keynote speaker started with this question, “Are you a giver?” As the crowd took a collective sigh of exhaustion, the speaker again asked, “Are you a giver? I mean, a joyful giver?” He then began to unpack the statement.
He affirmed for the leaders in the room (that each of these present and you too!) that leaders give. Leaders give in time, give in compassion, give in strategy, in give energy and investment in relationships that build an organization or a church community. They give to the point of exhaustion. But, what about your treasure? Does your budget match your values? That resources given are a true testament of one’s leadership, investment, faith and trust in an organization or community. He continued on talking about the various aspects of giving as a form of leadership and how giving is not just about the money, but about the act of faith and trust of sending resources out that have been entrusted to you. And when you let those resources out, are there conditions on it? Meaning, do you need to see it spent in a certain way or used for something specific, or can you freely give a gift and trust that how it is used is how God intended it to be used? And can you let it go with a joyful heart, not from a place of obligation, guilt or shame.
The bible talks about tithing – give the first of the crop, the best livestock, or 10% of your income to God. For some this percentage is seen as an obligation or expectation, and for others it is seen as an invitation. It’s an invitation to experience the spiritual gift of giving that is beyond what you think is possible only to see it in the actual facts and figures, that something that seemed extraordinary is in fact possible.
For me, this was one of the first times that stewardship and the spiritual practice of giving became more than simply a way to support an organization that I loved, trusted, believed in their mission and knew was important. It became more than what I thought it was to be an adult in the church; it became an act of faith to see what I could give each month or respond as various needs presented themselves and do it with a sense of joy and excitement to see how it would be used, but also, how God would hold me in loving care to provide for me in ways that allowed me to take risks with my giving. I can honestly say that when I have taken these risks, things have worked out and I have “made it” each month to be able to step out in faith as a joyful giver.
So leaders (that’s you!) of St. Luke’s, are you a giver?
