TWO PERSPECTIVES ON GIVING
I rarely speak or write about giving. Many are thankful for that. In some churches that’s all you hear about every week. Others believe that if I spoke more about giving, people would give more, and we could do more. Both sides have a point, but I believe what is most important to recognize is that there are two ways to look at money, budgeting, and giving.
Some people budget the maximum they can give and give it faithfully. They are often like the woman Jesus commended for giving all she had by throwing in a mere two pennies. They may not have a lot to give, but they are giving all they can and there is nothing more to give.
People who live on tight budgets and within strict means see that as virtuous and normal and expect the church to do the same. If a project isn’t in the budget, then you don’t do it! You save up until you have the money to do it. That’s how they live, so why shouldn’t the church? To them, planning a project that requires asking the congregation for more money is extravagance, an irresponsible refusal to live within the church’s means.
I was raised to see money that way, and for years that is how I led the church in budgeting. We lived within our means.
Then I encountered people who thought a completely different way.
They too budgeted their tithe to the church. But they had more that they could give. However, they didn’t want that extra money wasted. They wanted to give where it was needed most. With this second group, a well-planned project for a good cause was exactly what they are looking for, and they would willingly open their hearts and wallets to give to such projects.
These two groups exist in almost every church, and each group sees requests for money in different and even opposing ways.
Having always thought like the first group, I assumed everyone had given all they could. My responsibility was to live within that budget. For the longest time I felt it was immoral to ask for people to give more and that it was irresponsible to plan projects that stretched a budget. If other people had more money to give, why didn’t they just give it and give me a larger budget to work with?
The Lord provided good leaders in our church who counseled me to expand the way I saw money and how it is given and used; to understand that some people wanted to invest in good and necessary causes – and that it was my responsibility to provide them with really worthwhile causes to give to. Such people were stingy; they were being responsible with what God entrusted to them.
I am very aware, any time we ask for money for a project, that both of these groups of people exist. More importantly – and this is why I’m writing this essay – both groups need to be aware of each other, that their differing perspectives are colored by different life experiences, and that when our leadership presents projects or asks for additional funding, we are aware of both groups. Neither group is wrong. Each must act before the Lord based on the perspective and experience through which the Lord has brought him.
In that way, rather than grow bitter or upset or angry, both groups can choose to rejoice in the work God is doing.
Some people budget the maximum they can give and give it faithfully. They are often like the woman Jesus commended for giving all she had by throwing in a mere two pennies. They may not have a lot to give, but they are giving all they can and there is nothing more to give.
People who live on tight budgets and within strict means see that as virtuous and normal and expect the church to do the same. If a project isn’t in the budget, then you don’t do it! You save up until you have the money to do it. That’s how they live, so why shouldn’t the church? To them, planning a project that requires asking the congregation for more money is extravagance, an irresponsible refusal to live within the church’s means.
I was raised to see money that way, and for years that is how I led the church in budgeting. We lived within our means.
Then I encountered people who thought a completely different way.
They too budgeted their tithe to the church. But they had more that they could give. However, they didn’t want that extra money wasted. They wanted to give where it was needed most. With this second group, a well-planned project for a good cause was exactly what they are looking for, and they would willingly open their hearts and wallets to give to such projects.
These two groups exist in almost every church, and each group sees requests for money in different and even opposing ways.
Having always thought like the first group, I assumed everyone had given all they could. My responsibility was to live within that budget. For the longest time I felt it was immoral to ask for people to give more and that it was irresponsible to plan projects that stretched a budget. If other people had more money to give, why didn’t they just give it and give me a larger budget to work with?
The Lord provided good leaders in our church who counseled me to expand the way I saw money and how it is given and used; to understand that some people wanted to invest in good and necessary causes – and that it was my responsibility to provide them with really worthwhile causes to give to. Such people were stingy; they were being responsible with what God entrusted to them.
I am very aware, any time we ask for money for a project, that both of these groups of people exist. More importantly – and this is why I’m writing this essay – both groups need to be aware of each other, that their differing perspectives are colored by different life experiences, and that when our leadership presents projects or asks for additional funding, we are aware of both groups. Neither group is wrong. Each must act before the Lord based on the perspective and experience through which the Lord has brought him.
In that way, rather than grow bitter or upset or angry, both groups can choose to rejoice in the work God is doing.