The Act Of Giving Formed Them
The Exploring The Benefits of Faithfulness
by Eric Elkin
“So now, be strong, Zerubbabel, says the Lord.
Be strong, High Priest Joshua, Jehozadak’s son,
and be strong, all you people of the land, says the Lord.
Work, for I am with you, says the Lord of heavenly forces.”
As soon the council meeting devotion ended, the president took a basket and passed it around the table. Instinctively, each person reached for the cash they brought to the meeting. They placed the money in the basket and handed it to the person sitting next to them.
Panic set in as the basket drew closer to me. I had no idea this was part of the meeting. This was not a good excuse. As the lead pastor, it was my job to review the agenda and to ask clarifying questions before the meeting. Sheepishly, I excused myself for not having cash and hoped forgiveness would be the punishment for my transgression.
Thankfully, my being caught off guard sparked a conversation. We talked about how many times new council members found themselves in a similar situation. The discussion then turned to how this time of sharing had become reduced to a routine without meaning. By not sharing the story behind the “Act of Stewardship,” it compromised the church’s ability to be continually shaped by it.
The story came from a time when the future of the congregation looked bleak. The church did not have the money to make the loan payments used to start the church. A member of the congregation even flew out east to try and re-negotiate a better deal with the bank. While confronting this problem, they were presented with commitments they made to give money away to service ministries helping the poor.
“In normal life we hardly realize how much more we receive than we give, and life cannot be rich without such gratitude. It is so easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements compared with what we owe to the help of others”
The easy decision was to not meet any outside need before addressing their own. However, to this group of young disciples, this was not what Christ was calling them to do. The council decided to take a collection from those at the meeting. The money collected would be used to meet these additional needs. They were giving to others when their own need was great. Ever since that time, each council meeting begins with an Act of Stewardship to remind the members to trust in the Lord.
This story came to mind while reading this passage from Haggai. The prophet is speaking to people who have returned to Jerusalem after years of living in exile. The glorious Temple Solomon built was lying in ruins. They grieved the loss but were more concerned with their own prosperity than the condition of the Temple. So the prophet calls them to faithfulness.
In contrast, the destruction of the First Temple and the people being sent into exile was blamed on faithlessness. In the Old Testament, the rewards of faithfulness and the punishment of the faithless are always on display. It begs the question, does God really reward the faithful?
Thousands of years later, in the United States, we still debate this question. Many consider wealth a sign of God’s favor. If this is true, then the poor are being punished for their faithlessness. Many will reject this approach, often called “The Prosperity Gospel.” And rightfully so. Yet, it is equally troubling for me to divorce prosperity from faith.
While God may not reward you for being faithful, there are definite benefits to faithfulness. A congregation where members give money faithfully meets to decide how to share their wealth. While places where individuals do not give, argue over which bill to pay.
Praying will not protect you from all harm. However, prayer does help us cope with the struggles of life. God does not punish people for not being in church every Sunday, but those who attend regularly find strength in the community of believers. People who are intentional about giving thanks live in gratitude. There are clear-cut benefits to faithfulness.
Every congregation has its own unique identity. A collective personality shaped by a series of events and actions throughout its history. In the congregation I am currently serving, the act of sharing at a time of need has formed them. If you know the story, you will understand the words the Lord spoke to Haggai, “Be strong…work…for I am with you.”
Click to read Haggai 1:15 -2:9
Reflection Questions:
When have you faced a difficult financial situation?
How did you handle it? Did you consider yourself punished by God?
What spiritual practices fo you find beneficial?
How can considering the needs of others’ help form you in a positive way?
Like it? Take a moment to support Ordinary Voices on Patreon.
More for you . . .
From the blog . . .
