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Can You Gauge a Heart by A Checkbook?

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Many believe that giving is a sign of your heart. The more you give, the more it reflects your willingness to sacrifice more for God. But the problem is that there have been plenty of benevolent people who aren’t in the right place with God. Granted, a good hearted person will always be a giving person, but does giving mean they have a good heart?

I’ve never seen someone who gave of their time and of themselves and were not close to God. Many of us have heard the phrase that if you want to see someone’s relationship with God, just take a look at their checkbook. I think they’ve got it all wrong. Because i believe that if you want to gauge someone’s relationship with God look at their calendar.

As believers, i think we have this infatuation with money because the church is always asking for it. We automatically assume that it’s the most valuable asset in transforming the Church. I’m starting to think that money is the worst asset we use to advance God’s kingdom. If we think about all the moments that Jesus warned about money, we get this impression that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and yet, once money reaches an offering plate somehow it becomes exorcised of its potential evil. In my mind i’m envisioning a picture of Jesus’ miracle transforming water into precious wine as it is being poured out. Wherein money miraculously transforms it’s bad qualities into good qualities as it’s being poured in the offering. I know, it’s a head-scratcher.

if it’s hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, then how can a rich church find it easy to do the work of the kingdom of heaven? Can a rich church be a strange anomaly? I’m not trying to preach against riches, or say that if you or your church has money then you are evil. That’s not it. What i’m trying to explain is how our time is the most valuable asset for the Church and it’s possible that money may be the worst (although necessary) asset.

What Makes Time More Valuable Than Money?

There are a few characteristics of time that make it more valuable than money.

1. Renewability

Time is not renewable, although with money, we can always make more of that. Some give money out of guilt or peer pressure and this can be the case for time as well, but it is only money that is given because they have nothing else to do with it or because it is a tax deduction. Donating time because you have nothing else to do is almost never a reason someone donates it, and technically, it’s not a tax deduction. I personally find it hard to give my time. I have a business, 2 young children, and a wife that i love to spend my time with; so i find it hard to take time away from those things in order to give to others. Once i give my time on a Saturday to help someone, i have lost that precious time of family memories or relaxation and i can’t get it back. Time is my ‘love language’ as well, so this may also be another reason why this subject hits close to me.

2. Equality

One thing that also makes time so valuable is it’s equality. Everyone has 24 hours a day to spend without the ability to earn any more. There’s no poverty level or upper class. There’s no welfare handouts or “one-percenters” to complain about either.  Sure, some of us have fuller plates than others; and i’m sure you’re thinking that you’re one of them right now. Many people can say that this person has more money than me, so they can give; but no one can actually make that statement in regards to time. I don’t care how busy someone can be, you don’t have less or more time than someone who works 60 hours a week as a single parent or if you are someone who is retired at 60.

3. Longevity

Another trait of time is that you can’t tell when your time is going to run out. Your life could be over while you are reading this, or it could be over in 50 years. We all know the statement that life is but a vapor. For some, it may not even be that much, and for others, the vapor sticks around for some time. You can’t leave an inheritance of time to your family either. Some of us spend a good amount of energy accumulating a nest egg to leave to our future generations; but once we die, our time on earth is gone and cannot be inherited by anyone else. There’s nothing to pass on.

The Challenge

The challenge going forward is for each of us to donate our time. Help someone. Pray with someone. Be with someone. Comfort someone. Share not just your money, which seems to evaporate faster than time; but share your time with someone, which leaves an everlasting impression on someone else.

How Churches Invest Their Money

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An interesting report came out on the 17th by Joshua Ritchie from Mint.com. It’s titled, “How Churches Invest Their Money”. Here’s my quick breakdown of the article

LDS – Church of the Latter-Day Saints (Mormons)

  • “current LDS assets totaled $30 billion”
  • “If LDS were a corporation, Time continued, its estimated $5.9 billion in annual revenues would have placed it midway through the Fortune 500.”
  • “Bonneville International Corporation, which controls over two dozen top radio stations across six states, is also wholly owned by LDS through Deseret Management Corporation, the church’s for-profit arm.”

RCC – Roman Catholic Church

  • “In 2005, MSNBC reported that the Roman Catholic Church owned more real estate globally than any other organization or individual on earth.”
  • “In 2001, an official report stated that the church’s real estate activities in fiscal year 2000 produced $81.7 billion in revenue on $51.8 billion in expenses: a nearly $30 billion profit.”
  • “The Boston Globe found that “contributions from worldwide dioceses” totaled $92.9 million in 2005, while individual donations made directly to the Pope neared $60 million.”
  • “In 2005, MSNBC’s Nanette Hansen even wondered if Pope Benedict XVI would “have to be a money manager as well as a spiritual leader.””

ELCA – Evangelical Lutheran Church

  • “In fiscal year 2009, the church claims to have earned $1,698,336 from “investment income”, $2,238,629 from “bequests and trusts” and another $1,003,420 in rental income. The same report lists a separate column of “temporarily restricted” revenues, on which another $1,625,000 in investment income is reported.”

Stop Tithing & Get Out of Debt

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There it is, I said it. I think this is the first I’ve ever heard myself go straight out and say it. Stop tithing, and Get out of debt. I don’t want you to give another dime until all of your unsecured credit is paid off. I’m not talking about your house, or your car, or your school loans. I’m talking about all the store and credit card debt. Get out of Debt!

“No one can serve two masters”. Although that statement in the context of scripture was not referring to debt, I believe it is applicable as a stewardship principle. It’s hard to serve God with your money while you are still a slave to debt. It’s also hard to serve God with your money while you are a slave to possessions as well. I know there are some legitimate people who are not slaves to possessions but have some debt lingering over them. In those cases, the simple answer is to get out of debt, and then you can give God your money.

Do not bow to the pressure of the tithing threats while you are in debt. God does not judge a person by what they’ve given; He judges them by what they’ve kept. You need to be a wise steward, and part of that is making the decision to get out of debt, and then give to God. Actually, here’s a thought that just ran through my head. Who said that paying your bills and striving to get out of debt is not giving to God? The misconception is that paying your bills or striving to be debt free is not a spiritual way of giving. Are you somehow dishonoring God if you pay off your debts? Why would God be more honored if you paid the parishioner, but were late on your bills? Where is the honor in that?

God judges us based on our stewardship. I’ve stated this so many times as an example, but it is so relevant: The servant who gave 100% back to the master when he returned, was the one considered a bad steward. A good analogous word for “steward” is “investor”.

In the end, the truth is we will be judged by our investments. Whether we are in debt or not, God will burn up our works like wood, hay, and stubble if we’ve invested in worldly things. If you are struggling financially, and cannot get out of debt no matter what you’ve done, then stop giving it away and start investing in the plan to get out of debt. If you have trouble with debt because of self-control, then get some accountability, get some instructions, follow a plan to stop spending; and start investing in a debt-free life. Dave Ramsey and Crown Financial offer good programs to help you get out of debt. Don’t feel guilty about putting your money towards debt instead of in the offering plate. God will honor your decision for being a wise, investing steward.

Remember, God’s blessings are reaped naturally by a cause and effect more than they are reaped miraculously, such as money falling from the sky. You will reap what you sow. If you sow a debt-free life, you will reap the rewards that come from it. The natural reward of a debt-free life is not money falling from the sky. However, I wouldn’t pass that up.

There are only two paths you can take toward Godly stewardship. One leads to debt as your master, and the other path leads to financial freedom as your master. Which path are you going to choose?

Does Money Make us Happy?

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I read this comment: “money does not make us happy”. I thought about that, and maybe I’m thinking too much, but if money doesn’t make people happy then why should we give our money away? If people aren’t blessed by our gift of money, then what fun would it be to give it away? Don’t tell me that you don’t at least feel some relief when you receive your paycheck every week. Come on, it puts a grin on everyone’s face. Why not? Is that wrong? God gave us that money. So, wouldn’t it be a gift from him? Wouldn’t he want us to be happy with what he’s given us? Your children, a roof over your head, and transportation have all been given to us by God, but I don’t think anyone of us is saying that our children or a dry bed doesn’t make us happy.

The other point I want to bring up is the other comment that I read: “tithing will help us remember that money doesn’t bring happiness”. To tell you the truth if you want a lesson on how money doesn’t bring happiness, then give it all away. If we truly are seeking that lesson, then why not do the ultimatum and just give it all away? How do we know that giving 10% of our income will teach us that spirit-filled principle? Most people say that God said so in the bible by the guides that were laid out in the Old Testament. What they don’t see, is the guide that was given to us in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit was given to us in the New Testament, so we could have instructions to walk by. The old testament had the law as its tutor, but we have the instructions of the Spirit as ours.

You don’t teach the same lesson to five-year-olds as you do to 15-year-olds. The holy spirit is a personal guide for every individual’s life, not the tithe. In conclusion, ask the Spirit to guide your money and your giving, only He can help you be satisfied with your money and giving.

Christian Financial Discernment

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The church used to be the central place of local fellowship for the whole town. Most everyone spent their time around the church either to hear announced news or to celebrate some sort of event. Much time, effort, and money was poured into the church and its upkeep. But, over time the church and culture surrounding it no longer mingled the way it had once done. The church became a separate entity, and society became detached from its life support. Even though our steeples have gotten more noticeable and our pews have gotten longer, society does not attend these chapels for a social gathering. The conventional church building is no longer viewed as a place of gathering and fellowship for the community. Because the church building is seldom used nowadays, it is very hard to discern the amount of effort and support that church buildings should receive.

There are many good reasons to develop a facility that’s state of the art and also attractive. There are many times that this money goes wasted. I can’t judge how and what our money is used for. I do know that churches and their building funds will never be satisfied. Then again neither will all the poor be satisfied. When confronted with the decision to improve the furniture in your church or to feed the hungry, feeding the hungry is not the easiest decision. You won’t get a title deed, you don’t get to use it, neither are the homeless attractive to look at. I personally think, that feeding the hungry is a mission that’s a little closer to Jesus. During Jesus’ ministry, I don’t remember one time putting a roof over somebody’s head, but I do remember him feeding many people. I know that buildings do serve some needs, but outside of Sunday service it is not a place of local fellowship, and neither is it a public place for the community.