By Dr. Rebekah McCloud
We’ve probably all received a letter in the mail that had a nickel or dime pasted to it. These letters are solicitations for charitable giving. I got one a few weeks ago that began, “I know I’ve taken a risk sending you this dime…There’s a chance you might not return it to me along with a few dollars of your own.” The sender was right. Amused, I unstuck the dime and put it in my coin jar.
Momma also got a letter. Hers said, “We know we’ll never get this nickel back.” Now Momma, was not amused; so, she wrote them a letter. It said, “You a lie, here’s your nickel back. I like money, too. But, if you needed it, you should have kept it. Why did you send it to me in the first place? Don’t send me another one.”
Of course, Momma made me laugh, but it got me to thinking about the nickels and dimes, quarters and pennies, the change we are putting into the big water bottle each Sunday. Change for change.
If you’ll allow me an analogy, I want you to think with me about how we nickel and dime God with our time, talent, money and resources. How we can take that and change and change? Giving our time to the ministry is a precious gift. We all have 24 hours in a day. Yes, some of us have more disposable time than others. However, the way we spend the time God has given us is an important decision. For that person in the need of the word, a prayer, some mercy, some encouragement, some loving kindness, or some reassurance that God is yet alive and still on the throne, as little as 5 minutes can make a difference.
Ephesians 5:16 tells us to redeem the times and “use every opportunity you have for doing good, because these are evil times.” If we focus on how we spend our time each day, I am convinced that today’s work will manifest itself tomorrow in God’s favor. Let’s look at how we spend God’s time and if necessary, make a change for change. Amen.
We all have talent. God has given each of us at least one talent. Some of us have more. 1 Corinthians 12:7 in the Easy Read Version says, “Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person.” Some of us use our gifts to the glory of God, thereby magnifying what we have. Amen.
Others of us hide our gifts in the ground and risk them being taken away or given to another. Some of us even say we have no talents. “When God was giving them out, I was behind the door.” Grace, we have to answer to God for what we’ve done with those good things he’s entrusted to our care. When the Lord calls in the cool of the evening, I don’t want to have to hide. Let’s look at how we use God’s talents and if necessary, make a change for change. Amen.
We all have some money. Some have more than others. I believe that giving is an act of worship and that God is more interested in how we give than in what we give. All of what he have is his. The Bible says the Lord loves a cheerful giver. Do we give with the spirit of the widow and her mite or do we ponder giving with sadness like the rich, young ruler?
1 Timothy 6:17 says, “Give this command to those who are rich with the things of this world. Tell them not to be proud. Tell them to hope in God, not their money. Money cannot be trusted, but God takes care of us richly. He gives us everything to enjoy.” Let’s look at how we use God’s money and if necessary, make a change for change. If we all do a little, together we can do a lot. Amen.
We all have resources. Some of us have tangible resources like a home, a car, food, etc. Some of us have intangible resources like knowledge, compassion, a spirit of encouragement, discernment, or can offer intercessory prayer. Freely using what we have can make a difference.
The parable of the fish and the loaves, recorded in all four Gospels, is a good example. It tells how a boy offered his lunch—five barley loaves and two small fish—to the disciples. Jesus blessed it and fed five thousand. Sometimes what we have doesn’t look like much or look like enough. I’m so glad that we serve an awesome God, a god who can make a way out of what seems like no way. Let’s look at how we use God’s resources and if necessary, make a change for change. Amen.
All that we have—our time, talent, money and resources— are gifts from God. As stewards, we are not owners, but caretakers. We own nothing, not even ourselves. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore, glorify God in your body.”
I believe if we examine what we’re doing, make any changes necessary for change, the Lord will bless us and surround us with his favor as with a shield. Amen.
4/29/18