SPIRIT M MEN

Many Ways To Give

The year is winding to a close, and my mailbox is jammed with letters from “friends” I don’t really know, asking that I make a special gift to their worthy cause. Most say if I can just make a one-time “special gift” to their project or cause, the world will be a better place. And my regular monthly donation, no matter how small, will always be appreciated.

Some requests come from good or even great causes; some I am not certain where they came from.

That’s just the postal mailbox. The telephone rings every night, right at supper time, despite the Do-Not-Call registration. How did they find me? And there’s the email.

I am a giver. I give regularly to my church, and I am a member of several national organizations and I give them an occasional gift. I still probably need to improve my willingness to give.

Sharing — giving — became more important to me after I had a personal spiritual renewal and understood how God gave his son Jesus so I could be reconciled with him. I have heard it said the last part of a man converted to Christ is his wallet. That was true for me. Since that day more than 30 years ago, I have a genuine reason to give. So the issue is not whether I should give, but how much and to whom?

My faith in Christ and things the Bible teaches about giving convinces me there is a minimum Christians ought to give. Further, I’m persuaded unbelieving people should not give to the church, and there are plenty of other causes they could support.

Ten percent is the bottom of the scale and giving more honors God and means we give because he gave first. I give as a baseline at least 10 percent of my gross income to the church. My other giving is over and above that 10 percent.

I give in other ways as well: volunteering, serving, sharing assets, etc. Because I find great joy in being able to give financially, to volunteer, to serve and share, giving in these ways is very satisfactory and fun.

I know the Bible teaches “God loves a cheerful giver,” and I think by being cheerful givers we grow to love God all the more as well.

My family once carried a huge financial debt, and we simply had no way to pay it off in a normal manner. We had a limited income, big expenses and big bills. My wife and I determined we would continue to give away the baseline 10 percent and live on the rest. It took quite a while, but those debts have been paid. We never lacked what we needed, and we learned something important: God supplied all we needed on a day-to-day basis, even when it was very difficult to give.

You do not have to give just because someone makes an appeal and you feel guilty. Be discerning about to whom you donate and how they will use your gifts. Give of yourself first, and then give financially. Don’t forget an hour volunteered will be a wonderful gift and you will find deep satisfaction in giving it.

And if you have a way to get off those phone call and mail lists, send it to me — maybe with a small donation? — and we’ll end those unsolicited requests.