Genesis 12:1-3 God's call of Abraham is a summons to the people of God not to
let old ways of living and conventional belief prevent moving into a quality of life
far "richer" than heretofore known promise and blessing meant for others too. "By
you [better than ?in you'] all the families of the earth shall bless themselves," (v.
3) in the helpful alternative rendering of the NRSV. God's people are the means
but not the end or sole example of blessing and being blessed.
Deuteronomy 6:4-25 A prayer from The New Century Hymnal sums up the thrust
of these key verses that begin with the "great commandment" (6:4-5; Mark 12:2930) to love God above all else with all our heart, soul, and might. "May you love
God so much that you love nothing else too much; May you fear God enough
that you need fear nothing at all." (#874) This outlook breaks the grip of any
possessiveness that inhibits generosity.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 The wealth or "abundance" of our lives is a gift, not just a
given. That is, no more than with life itself do we have this as something we can
earn or deserve. It is not entitlement but blessing in which others are meant to
share (see Genesis 12:3 above).
2 Samuel 24:24 Knowing the quality of life made possible by the power of God,
David is not about to give less than his best something possible for all of us, and
irrepressible when we know our own blessing. He is not about to make an
offering to God that, in effect, costs him nothing.
I Chronicles 29:1-19 About the giving required to build the temple, the house of
God. "For all things come from you, [O Lord,] and of your own have we given
you." (v. 14b) Leaders must "walk the talk," letting their own generosity be an
example and inspiration to others.
Psalm 24:1-10 The temple or house of God welcomes and celebrates the truth
that God's kingdom or "realm" includes the entire earth; God's love embraces all
of life. This sovereign love "lifts up" us all, and any denial closes the doors on
God's presence and prevents us from sharing in the divine blessing of life. "Be
lifted up, O ancient doors!" (vv. 7, 9)
Isaiah 1:10-17 Giving is futile sacrifice, religiously superficial and unacceptable to
God, unless directed to enabling others to know the abundance, the quality of
life, that is theirs too which is the purpose of the temple (and the church). "Learn
to do good, seek justice." (v. 17)
Malachi 3:6-10 God's house--in those days, the temple--was the place from
which the produce, the abundance, of the land was redistributed. Dereliction in
fulfilling one's rightful "tithe" upset the harmony that alone could assure prosperity
in the land. Restoration of this commitment will issue in "overflowing blessing" for
all. (v. 10) Don't let argument about "tithing" giving a tenth of annual giving
upstage the main point about giving, its motivation and outcome: generosity
comes from an experience of "abundance," the blessing of which is literally lost
unless shared with others, and impossible to gain alone.
Matthew 6:19-21 "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (v. 21)
Faith and money are two sides of the same coin. Where the one is, the other is
also. We easily pretend otherwise, making faith immaterial or money unspiritual.
Matthew 14:13-21 (see also Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14) Jesus
feeding the five thousand with "nothing here but five loaves and two fish." (v. 17)
Often thinking we don't have enough we fail to see and take seriously what we
already have. It is from what we have, not what we don't, that we find what we
need...and then some!
Matthew 25:14-30 (see also Luke 19:12-27) Wanting more, thinking what we
have is not enough, we squander opportunity presently ours, "just as I am,
without one plea," in the words of the gospel song. In this well-known parable of
the talents, as in Luke's of the pounds, the message is use it or lose it. It is in the
use of what we have, not the amount, that we learn and practice, or practice and
then learn still more, the abundance already ours. Mark 12:41-44
In this story of the poor widow's generosity, the irony of abundance is made
clear. Less is more when what we give exceeds what we withhold. "Complete
possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you"
(see note 14 to Chapter 1).
Luke 12:13-21, 48 The parable of the rich fool is clear: life's abundance does not
consist in possessions. Those who "store up treasures for themselves" (v. 21)
become victims of anxiety, always wondering if they have enough. Real security
is found and the tree richness of life experienced--not in guarding what we have
but in giving what we can. "Abundance" is not a private possession but a shared
experience.
Luke 16:1-13 Easily confusing, this parable of the shrewd steward is also
provocative. It emphasizes the importance of being astute in using possessions
so as to gain rather than lose one's future. There is no way to acquire money that
is pure and perfect, unsullied by questionable means and motives. That should
not become a pious excuse to avoid responsibility for its wise use.
I Corinthians 4:1-2 The word rendered "servants" means, literally, "underrowers." The figure is that of a ship impelled by oars under the command of a
captain. "Stewards" as "servants [or ministers] of Christ" labor under the
inspiration of the truth about life ("God's mysteries") disclosed in Jesus. Their
most important quality, given the challenge involved, is fidelity, faithfulness
staying true to the cost and joy of an understanding of life at odds with prevailing
sensibility. (See Isaiah 40:29-31 and Matthew 11:29-30.)
H Corinthians 8:1-15 "Abundance" is not a function of good times; a "wealth of
generosity" can "overflow" even "during a severe ordeal of affliction" (v.2). It is
the "genuineness of love" in response to the joy of life made known in Jesus
Christ that makes us eager to give "according to what one has not according to
what one does not have" (v. 12). Also emphasized (see v. 13-14) is the equality
between givers and receivers whereby those who "receive" give as generously
as those who "give," and neediness proves an illusion next to the actual
abundance in which all share.
II Corinthians 9:6-15 God provides "every blessing in abundance, so that by
always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good
work." (v. 8) There is no need to "sow sparingly" and hence "reap sparingly." We
can "sow bountifully" and "reap bountifully" (v. 6), "enriched in every way for [our]
great generosity." (v. 11)
Galatians 5:22-23a (NRSV) "Abundance" is the truth about life made known in
the spirit or disposition of Jesus, the driving force of the church. So Paul says in
these verses that "generosity" is part of the "fruit" of the Spirit. It is impossible to
turn on the lights of greater giving when the power is off...or low. Morale, or what
the church calls Spirit, is "the power that tums on the lights" and the number one
stewardship challenge! Ephesians 3:1-21
Contrary to what God's people often believed, outsiders ("Gentiles") not just
insiders ("Jews") have always been part of the divine plan wherein all are meant
to know the good news of abundant life. Paul sees himself as making this
"mystery" plain. He prays that the power of God at the heart of life part of "the
boundless riches of Christ" (v. 8)? make us "bold and confident" (v.12) so that we
may be "filled with all the fullness of God." (v. 19) which is the fullness of life
(John 10:10).
1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19 God "richly provides us with everything for our
enjoyment." (v. 17) God wants us to be happy! To "take hold of the life that really
is life" (v. 19) is to experience abundance as a gift to be shared: it is no private
possession, and beyond anything we can earn or deserve. Not being rich or
money, but "the love of money" is "a root of all kinds of evil" (v. 10). That love
fuels insatiable desire, makes for unhappiness, and reduces the blessing of life to
something we must gain rather than seek to share.