Talking money is difficult - not least because few religious institutions can boast a ‘clean bill of health’ for the way they have obtained financial support over the years. Today’s recommended scriptures are about giving, though, and so in this reflection we attempt to dive in!
Back in the first century, the Apostle Paul trekked around his known world spreading news about a new movement that we now call Christianity. He was very emotionally invested in the churches he established and wrote them passionate letters. In his second letter to the church in Corinth, he talks about a gift they have promised to another community of believers. He seems to be persuading the members to honour their promise to make this donation - telling them that if they are ‘cheerfully’ generous, they will in turn receive.
Spend some time with this letter. How do you feel? It may be that Paul’s persuasion troubles you, reminding you of harmful ‘prosperity gospel’ messages.
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Jesus discusses generosity in Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 6. He invites people to give and to sacrifice in secret, without obvious pains and without requiring recognition. (No doubt we can all relate to the person who bemoans their hard work and generosity to the extent we wish they hadn’t bothered!)
It is particularly difficult to live in this secretly generous way today, when so much of life is channeled through public media and experiences that are not ‘liked’ online seem barely real……
Jesus does not command or persuade his listeners to be generous but rather assumes they will be: “whenever you….” And, later on in the same chapter, he reminds them they need not worry about their own security - social, financial or otherwise.
The tone is one of calm suggestion - Jesus appears to trust in a fundamental generosity that is a given. From that place, he cares about the details of people’s lives. Perhaps he understands that we want to be seen and loved; that we are prone to fear this is not the case and so fear for our safety. He encourages us to trust.
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If we read Paul’s words attempting to adopt this essential attitude of trust in abundance, perhaps they sound different. If you like, go back and read them again. And then, if you wish, reflect on these words from Psalm 112. What are you learning?
You might enjoy listening to the joyful song about generosity and community by the Felice Brothers - Take This Bread.