Coach's Corner

Money Makeover (Giving)

A few months ago, I was picking up some supplies for an event we were hosting for kids. After loading the purchased goods into my car, I began to journey out of the crowded Costco parking lot only to find myself stopped; waiting for the light to change so that I could proceed with my errands. I turned to see a woman, who appeared to be in her mid-thirties, standing at the curb holding a sign that read: “Lost my job and have two kids to feed”. I instantly felt my heart sink … even as I write this, three months later, the letters on her cardboard sign come to mind like it was yesterday. I pulled out my wallet and gathered what cash I did have and handed it to her through my rolled down car window. The light changed and I continued on with my day-- life as usual. The entire commute back, I kept thinking of how much more I could have done. I could have given her some of the groceries that I had bought or better yet, taken her through Costco and let her pick out what groceries she needed. She had asked for money and I gave; but the question I’ve been living with is this: “Did I give generously?”

What does generous giving and living look like? Giving generously includes giving people the ‘benefit of the doubt’ regarding their circumstances. It means using our words in a generous fashion. Spending our time and using our gifts in service of others. In a culture that calls us to consume on ourselves, the call of Christ is to ‘be generous with others’ – to share my life with people!

I can’t help but wonder what it would look like if we, as believers, began to give generously--not just give what is asked of us; but to go above and beyond what’s expected, but to even surprise people with a spirit of generosity. It would seem that generosity is the point at which one gives beyond what is required. Paul writes to Timothy, a pastor of a New Testament church, and instructs him with these words:

“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life” (1 Tim. 6:17-19 NIV)

Paul, a devout Christ follower and founder of many New Testament churches, clearly tells believers to put their trust in God and not to trust in money. By our world’s standards, North Americans are quite wealthy, most of us would even qualify as affluent. When Paul says, “teach those who are rich”, he is likely referring to a culture much like ours. The instruction that follows really is crucial: “they should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others”. Always being ready to share with others would mean that we should consistently be looking for ways to give generously to people in need – to adopt an abundance mentality and not one of scarcity.

Money itself holds no power; it is the way in which we choose to spend it and the heart in which the money is spent that holds the power. We can choose to either spend our money on things or invest it in life change. There are countless ways and avenues that we can “be rich in good works and generous to those in need”. From helping out at a soup kitchen, to sponsoring a child, to supporting missionaries - both local and global, to committing to fill backpacks for kids who are under-resourced, to buying groceries for a person in need.

It may sound somewhat crazy, but I still check that Costco curb hoping that maybe I will see someone standing there needing help; that I will have the opportunity to give generously. I encourage you to make the most of every opportunity - to do good and to give and live generously-- both with your time and with your finances.

Posted July 01, 2009