Reflections on "Giving Tuesday"

 

    Assuming that you are on social media AT ALL, you are likely aware that today has been labeled"Giving Tuesday" in an effort, I assume, to balance out "Black Friday," "Cyber Monday," and, eventually, "Materialism Wednesday."  Even though I work for a non-profit organization and require the investment of others in order to continue in my work, I have to confess that I have mixed feelings a about "Giving Tuesday."  I thought a blog post this morning might help me to process that a bit....
     Let me start by acknowledging that there are many, many excellent organizations in which to invest.  I do not want to discourage anyone from partnering with non-profits who are doing important work.  This is definitely not an anti-giving post, or even and anti-asking post.   Perhaps what I'm processing, at the end of the day, is how do we cultivate a year-round spirit of generosity?  Wouldn't it be awesome if instead of one day in this season dedicated to giving, there were just one day dedicating to buying and spending?  I realize that the buying and spending contributes to some folks' ability to give, so that's probably not entirely fair.  But still.
     True confession time - I am not a generous person.  I'm not just saying that because I'm a super spiritual missionary (although, clearly I am :); I am truly a miser at heart.  I cannot remember a time in my life in which I did not have a scarcity mentality - "if I give to you, what will be left for me?"  I'm not even generous with myself: I'm notorious for getting gifts and never using them.  If I use them, then they will be gone and then what will I have?  I mean, as a kid, I didn't even want to use my new crayons because I wanted them to stay new as long as possible.  It's kind of funny to think about, but in reality it's a sickness.  And particularly ironic for a person who relies on the giving of others for her living.
    Therefore, I've been wrestling with what this means for me as I seek to live a kingdom honoring life.  I have been reading through a short study on the Sermon on the Mount lately and, purely by coincidence, the passage in Matthew 6 beginning with "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth" was up today!  The gist of this familiar teaching is if your focus is on accumulating wealth and possessions in this life, you are participating in an exercise in futility and placing your hope in something inherently insecure.  Material wealth can rust, be eaten by moths, stolen, destroyed by acts of nature, or be lost due to the instabilities of economic markets.  However, treasure contributed to things of God will never perish.  I don't think that God minds us enjoying material things - that doesn't seem consistent with scripture - He just wants us to not make accumulation the goal of our life.  Nor is it OK for us to hoard our money or possessions when there are so many in need.  For example, little Kerri should have used her new crayons joyfully and happily invited others to share in her bounty.  She would have had much more fun than she had keeping them all to herself, I can assure you.  It's not that Kerri should not have possessed new crayons, but that she could have used them to bless others as well.
    So, as I wrap up 2017 along with the presents I purchase this week, I intend to head into 2018 pursuing the discipline of abundance, while asking the Lord to cultivate a daily spirit of generosity in my heart.  I want to seek out ways to give more than seeking out ways to accumulate.  Many of you are examples to me in this regard, and I'm so thankful for your witness.  The Lord blesses me through you in a myriad of ways.
    I want to close with a passage in Timothy that applies to most of us here in the US....

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way, they will lay up for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."  2 Timothy 6: 17-19

   Don't you love that?!  What a life that represents.  Give prayerfully and generously today, but don't just give today.  Seek to live each day as though it is a "Giving Tuesday."  I suspect that mentality is a lot more fun than hoarding the crayons.