It's quite long, but really good teaching.
And it ties into simple living.
We all know it, when we don't buy so much stuff, we have more money to give.
I'm not giving in order to get more. We should never do that, besides, I doubt it would work. God sees our hearts and He loves a joyful giver. He even loves the giver who gives because it's the right thing to do, even though it may sting ;) But the one who gives in order to gain, out of selfish reasons, thinking it's like a magic trick, or that then God would be in debt to him or obliged to give him back manyfold is utterly deluded.
But nevertheless, I gave more last year than ever before, and we now have more than ever before. My husband got a new job that is location independent and pays well. So now we can live anywhere, and we can give more. It is God's money, He gives and takes as He wishes. We are called to give freely. We can pray for Jesus to lead needy people to us and lead us to good causes to support. We can pray for a more generous heart, one that has complete trust that our needs will be met by our Lord. Giving freely is love. Just like giving your child all the wild strawberries you pick.
It's amazing how often we Christians don't "see" the passages in bible concerning money. How Jesus told the rich man to sell everything and give to the poor, how John the Baptist told that if you have two shirts and someone has none, to give the other away. Again and again we are told not to hoard treasures on Earth.. Yet what does nearly every one of us do? I admit I do this too. Sometimes it feels "crazy" to give away a large chunk of money, but not crazy in a weird way. It feels right, and joyful.
This is an area that I feel strongly about. I want to grow in it. I want to learn to spend even less on me and more on others. I still get "wants" sometimes. I stay away from magazines that prompt want. I notice it so clearly now that I hardly ever look at one. I was at the doctor yesterday for check-up and browsed an interior design magazine. I was filled with mixed emotions of "oh, that's really nice!! " and "ugh, this is all so grossly materialistic!" Hahah. I'm not immune, so I stay away!!
It's not realistic for most people to think they can change over night from loving fancy stuff and shopping, to one that hates shopping and thinks of stuff only in terms of immediate usefullness. I have gone a long way (and have yet a way to go) and it's amazing.
But nevertheless, I gave more last year than ever before, and we now have more than ever before. My husband got a new job that is location independent and pays well. So now we can live anywhere, and we can give more. It is God's money, He gives and takes as He wishes. We are called to give freely. We can pray for Jesus to lead needy people to us and lead us to good causes to support. We can pray for a more generous heart, one that has complete trust that our needs will be met by our Lord. Giving freely is love. Just like giving your child all the wild strawberries you pick.
It's amazing how often we Christians don't "see" the passages in bible concerning money. How Jesus told the rich man to sell everything and give to the poor, how John the Baptist told that if you have two shirts and someone has none, to give the other away. Again and again we are told not to hoard treasures on Earth.. Yet what does nearly every one of us do? I admit I do this too. Sometimes it feels "crazy" to give away a large chunk of money, but not crazy in a weird way. It feels right, and joyful.
This is an area that I feel strongly about. I want to grow in it. I want to learn to spend even less on me and more on others. I still get "wants" sometimes. I stay away from magazines that prompt want. I notice it so clearly now that I hardly ever look at one. I was at the doctor yesterday for check-up and browsed an interior design magazine. I was filled with mixed emotions of "oh, that's really nice!! " and "ugh, this is all so grossly materialistic!" Hahah. I'm not immune, so I stay away!!
It's not realistic for most people to think they can change over night from loving fancy stuff and shopping, to one that hates shopping and thinks of stuff only in terms of immediate usefullness. I have gone a long way (and have yet a way to go) and it's amazing.
