Giving It Away

Nathan Stam
Communications/Children's Pastor

The past few Tuesday nights we've been going through Christian Financial Institute as a Fellowship. I know about money about as much as I know the rules of hockey (which would be not at all) so it's been helpful to me as I try to be a faithful steward and to provide for my family in the future.

I know after reading through the New Testament Gospels that Jesus talked about money a lot. 11 of His 39 parables deal with money and for good reason. Our attitudes toward money in a lot of ways reflect our attitude towards God. In Luke 12 Jesus gives the Parable of the Rich Fool. This man seems to wisely prepare for the future with his finances and possessions, but he doesn't take into account the truth that God is the Owner of all things--including our life, breath and everything else--that his goal should be to be rich towards God and not to build bigger barns. The man's life is taken from him and God exclaims, "You fool! The things you have prepared--whose will they be?"

Jesus goes on to say, "That's how it is with the one who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Where is my heart? Is it rich toward God? Is it anxious after money? After things and possessions? After all this, here's the question I have to ask myself: "How am I using my money?"

I used to love Rich Mullins in college (and still do). I think he is a genius musician and song-writer. Plus, he was an excellent feather-ruffler! I remember hearing that Rich was heavily influenced by St. Francis of Assisi and while he could have made bundles of money for himself in the CCM world here is what he did with his income: The profits from his tours and his albums went to his church, which divided it up, paid him the average salary in the U.S. for that year, and gave the rest away to various charities. I remember seeing him in concert and he wore blue jeans, a white t-shirt and went barefoot. Not a lot of bling with Rich.

So, could I get to the point where I give more away than I keep for myself? By the way, here's a video clip of Rich if you've never heard or seen him.