#2078 (9/17) SUNDAY SPECIAL: "Called to Be SACRIFICIALLY Generous

"Called to Be Sacrificially Generous - Giving Not Just Conveniently But Until It Hurts" - by Stan M. Yonashiro; Sept. 17, 2017

Then Jesus said to His disciples [then and today], "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me." - Matthew 16:24

      In light of the tremendous suffering unleashed by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, everyone had to be encouraged by the people who turned out to help others, even traveling hundreds of miles from across the country to do so. 

      Then, last night (Tues.) celebrities held a huge fund-raiser telethon, urging people to give $10 to help the many who were suffering and in need. It is said that they raised over $44 million dollars, which is quite a lot of money. 

      On the other hand, several days before, I observerd stadiums filled with people gathered to watch one of many pro football games around the country. As I looked at the crowds, I couldn't help but wonder how much money many spent to be there, drinking not just  $9 cups of beer but often spending hundreds of dollars for tickets. Yes, many probably had the income to afford such an expense but I wonder how many really spent more than they should have. Sure, we all deserve a time to spend money to be entertained (which after all is all that sporting events are supposed to do), but in light of the great needs of millions suffering around the South as a result of the recent hurricanes, would not a more encouraging thing would be for many if not most of those fans chose to forgo getting entertained (demonstrated by stadiums with millions of unsold/empty seats)and instead sent the money that they would have spent towards relief efforts? 

    Also, what if the NFL had forgone the income they could have made and actually cancelled the days' games, that they instead told people to send the money they would have spent to a relief effort ? Now THAT would have been generous, but of course that would be asking too much for a  multi-billion dollar business, wouldn't it?

  ON REFLECTION:

    Be assured, I'm not saying anyone should feel guilty for going to a sporting event, out to an expensive restaurant, to a them park, event, or even buying sushi. (On the other hand, what is with people spending $8 (the average price of sushi trays in the grocery retail store I work in) for what amounts to several scoops of rice and a few ounces of vegetables arranged in an admittedly beautiful setting? I'm sorry, I'm Japanese -American and enjoy sushi but not at such prices. I would learn to make it on my own before I spend so much money to get so little.)

    Also,  I'm also not addressing this so much to non-Christians as  to Christians.  We should not be surprised that people who do not live as followers of Christ will only give what is convenient and most times not what is sacrificial. We should also admit that believers (and I confess to include myself) struggle even to tithe and often fail to do so. Yes, it was the Old Testament standard (Malachi 3:10) for giving. BUT in the New Testament, with the sacrificial giving of His life by Jesus (by God Himself!), the standard was actually raised to where we too need to be giving sacrificially. (Matthew 6:1-4, 2 Cor. 8:2-15)  This means not just giving conveniently like the Pharisees of Jesus day (who even measured spices to be sure they gave only so much and no more) but giving "until  it hurts." (Luke 21:2-4) 

     Why should we be sacrificially generous? 

      1) Sadly, too often hear of Christian programs teach that we should tithe in order to receive a blessing from God. It makes it sound like we can manipulate God into giving us things. That's not biblical. Scripture clearly teaches that God is sovereign and in need of nothing. Repeatedly He has said He does not  need our "sacrifices" nor anything else but simply wants our obedience. (NOTE: Job received double blessing in return, not for his sacrificial giving but in light of his vast wealth and his family members being taken from him. Are we willing to trust God for such blessing AFTER we have paid such a high price?) 
      2) The ONLY reason that we should be giving sacrificially is because it honors and brings glory to God who has already given us abundantly more than we could EVER return in kind. 

ACTION POINTS: 

Now, I ask you. When was the last time YOU gave THAT generously, when it wasn't convenient or even left you in need yourself? I confess that I cannot remember when I have last did such a thing. And so I believe every Christian needs to regularly ask themselves in regards to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 16:24 (see above:
     1) How often do I  deny myself when I give? (What has my giving really cost me?)

     2) How do I spend my discretionary/essentially entertainment dollars? Do I really need to spend as much as I do? What's stopping me from cutting back by a third; by half; by more? Aren't there other things I could do to relax or to receive entertainment so that I have that much more to give away? 

     Honestly, I'm NOT asking you to give up ever going to sporting events, going out to expensive restaurants or entertainment  venues, going to see a movie on the weekend, or even to give up sushi. (Well, then again; sushi? really? 😀) [I will never forget how I once heard someone invite others to join him in attending a sporting event. When he said that his seat cost him $30, someone immediately shouted out, "THAT's  grocery money!" Such a great reminder that one person's indulgence can be another person's necessity.]

     What I'm simply asking is that - esp. in light of the great needs of so many millions left  devastated by the recent hurricanes, as well as of course countless ongoing urgent needs in other areas - each of us evaluate and consider how we spend money that we could easily be giving to others. What about starting by just giving up one indulgence a month and giving that money to a needy cause, especially one that in some way helps people to hear the gospel - even indirectly? Also may we NEVER givie in the hopes of receiving ANYTHING in return but simply knowing that we have pleased our Lord and Savior.

     In light of the matchless grace and generosity shown by our God in coming in the person of Jesus. He would have been generous just to come and warn us of the danger of living in sin or simply teaching us a good way to live. But He went SO MUCH further by sacrificially going to the cross, dying for our sins, and having risen from the dead, sending His Holy Spirit to empower us to live Spirit-filled, holy lives. Let HIS sacrifice truly challenge us  each day to give and to live sacrificially, and in doing so bring as many as we can into His kingdom and above all to bring honor and glory to our Heavenly Father.

P.S. - I really don't have it in for those who eat sushi. It's just that I'm always trying to get the most for what I spend and the purchase of sushi is just one of those indulgences I have a hard time with.