Words We Will Probably Never Utter

By Pastor Rey Diaz

Words we will probably never utter: “I wish I wouldn’t have fed that hungry child”…..”Remember son, never share your toys with the less fortunate”…. "I wish we would never have built that house for a family in the garbage dump…..we could have bought ourselves a boat with that money! Dang, we have invested so much in the church, there are just too many people coming to God and too many lives being transformed!”

I’m poking fun because I think it is pretty universal that all of us recognize the value in giving and want to teach our children or grandchildren to share. The simply joy we receive from giving happiness to another is not something we would trade for anything.  Yet, sharing our resources and partnering with God to change a life is a privilege that not everyone experiences.  There are many reasons for this. Perhaps they are too scared, or they don’t feel they have enough to give. Many times we want to give but are unsure where or how to give. Or it could be that we don’t have a financial plan based on God’s eternal principles.

At our church we believe the best planner, the best manager of our lives, is God. He knows what he’s doing! Part of God’s plan for our lives includes trusting in Him instead of relying on our finances…..But that’s a lot easier said than done.  Thankfully, God has provided a way for us to grow in our trust and to break the hold of money on our hearts….and that way is generosity. 

Thousands of Christians have put God to the test and come to this realization: God is faithful. And thankfully the plan God lays out in the Bible is simple. We call it 10-10-80.  Give 10% to God.  Give 10% to yourself with savings.  Enjoy the 80%. Amazingly, the only time God encourages us to put him to the test is in our finances. If you step in our in faith in this plan and God comes through for you, move that percentage up….and you will see he will come through once again! 

For some of us, this sounds really hard. What obstacle keeps you from trusting God?  What percentage would you feel more comfortable giving to God?

1 Timothy 6:17-19 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.  Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life