Blessed Be the Tithes that Bind

 

This is truly the most wonderful time of the year when every trip to the Post Office not only bring Christmas or Seasons greeting – although not as many now that we have electronic greetings available – but also the myriad of myriad appeals from charities with their ‘gifts’ of calendars and seasonal (definitely not Christmas) cards to encourage us to give generously to their very worthwhile work.

 I must confess that this often puts a damper on my Christmas spirit and I always wonder what I can do with one more calendar and can I justify to myself to use those cards if I don’t send at least a small contribution to that organization.  However, this is more than balanced by the appeals from Charities that I have supported in the past and I am grateful for the reminder to send them a contribution for the good work that they undertake.  I received one of those appeals last week from L’Arche Daybreak, the branch of L’Arche in Richmond Hill.  I had the opportunity to experience the wonderful work they do as a community for those with and without intellectual disabilities when I spent a few days with them one reading week when I was studying theology at Huron University College.  As they state in their mission statement, they strive to, “Make known the gifts of people with intellectual disabilities, revealed through mutually transforming relationships.” I filled out the donation form and got it ready to mail. 

As I did that I reflected on my donation to that group and wondered why I gave the amount I did.  There didn’t seem to be any relation to what I give to other organizations.  Why did I give that amount to what was, in my mind, an organization that did wonderful work that enable people, who had been given many challenges, meaningful and rewarding lives?  On reflection, I realized that there was not a great deal of rationale to many of my charitable donations.  In terms of my overall charitable givings, I am guided by the concept of tithing which has been the standard for Christians for a long time.  This is based on the bible passage in Genesis 14:20 in which Abram (later Abraham) gave King Melchizedek of Salem, who was priest of the “God Most High” a tenth of everything – hence tithing which is a tenth.  All well and good in terms of the goal for the amount I give, but what about to whom and how much for each organization.  It did not take me long to decide or realize that I had no clear idea on what basis I gave to certain groups or how much I gave to each. 

There is, of course, some basis for which groups I choose to support.  I tend to support groups or organizations I have first-hand knowledge of such as L’Arche and have assessed that their work has a positive impact on those they serve.  I am also aware that I do not do a very good job of investigating some groups in terms of the extent that they are good steward of the money they receive.  I am also aware that the amount that I give to an organization or choosing that organization is sometimes based on how a feel in a particular day when the request is received―not a great way on which to base my support.  I was inspired to raise this question, as I mentioned, by the question why I didn’t give additional support to L’Arche when I give more to organizations that seem to be not as deserving? 

I am aware that there is help available in determining if an organization is a good steward to the money they receive; Charity Intelligence Canada provides an assessment of charities which can assist in evaluating if your money is being used well, https://www.charityintelligence.ca/.  However, I must confess that I have never used this source.  As an experiment,t I decided to check put one of the organizations I support, World Vision.  It turns out to have a five-star rating based on financial transparency, results reported, demonstrated impact and need for funding. 

All well and good but it doesn’t help on the issue of how much I donate.   That will require more consideration.  If I was a more analytical person, I could develop a method of helping me do this on a more rational basis.  However, I am not likely to do that, so in the meantime perhaps I will settle on giving that more consideration when I decide on how much I give to which groups.

Have a blessed journey to Christmas this Advent and remember that you have many more gifts than financial ones. 

Sermon November 8, 2015 Mark 12:38-44

Genuine Heart, a Grateful Spirit, and a Generous Attitude

Have you ever had an encounter or perhaps many encounters with people who are pan handling?  I must say that I have not had that experience since I moved to Parkhill.  You probably don’t run into many panhandlers in Grand Bend or Port Franks.  This is not to say that there aren’t people who need assistance but it doesn’t seem to be in that form.  However, when I lived in London and when I return to London or when I am in Toronto it is not uncommon to have people approach me for handouts.  It is something which I must say I do not look forward to.  I seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place of wanting to do my Christian duty of generosity and not being taken advantage of.  Do I give something and if so how much?  Is this person really in need or is it a scam?  How can I avoid this person and avoid having to deal with these requests?  There are the stop light pan handlers who approach cars stopped at a red light and ask for help.  I find myself hoping and yes even praying that the light will turn green before the person gets to my car.  So much for Christian charity and loving your neighbour.

The reality is that I consider myself to be a generous person and I try to give back to various causes part of what God has given me.  I do try to live my life as a Christian and not as the scribes and Pharisees that Jesus so often criticized and condemned.  In today’s Gospel we have Jesus doing that.  It is the scribes that get the force of Jesus’ criticism, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”  That is quite a list of wrong doings and wrong attitudes.  Basically they are more concerned with doing good for appearances than doing good for the sake of the good.  There was no shortage of opportunity for Jesus to criticize them and he seemed to make use of every opportunity; making man for the Sabbath rather than the Sabbath for men; showing that we should not pray like the Pharisee giving thanks that he is not like the tax collector; and on and on. 

I think it is very clear that we should not devour widow’s houses or pray long prayers for the sake of appearances.  That should be possible to do.  However, how do we live on a day to day basis when we are faced with choices about what we support, how much we give, and how we do it?  Do we have a goal of tithing—the biblical ten percent—if so is that gross income or after tax income?  Is it the modern tithe or the biblical tithe?  

The biblical tithe is based on the passage in Genesis, “And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him one tenth of everything”.  We can turn to the NT to see how the tithe should be spent.  It says in the epistle of James, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world”. 

All in all it is not something which is simple.  Life today is more complex than in biblical times.  We have fairly significant taxes which we pay to support our various levels of Governments.  The money we give to charity is tax deductible or at least we get a tax credit.  We have the opportunity to support our church but also to support so many different possibilities and we are inundated by offers to help us contribute; health groups, arts groups, United Way, Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, World Vision, Habitat for Humanity, disaster relief, and on and on.  Of course we are currently being given the opportunity to contribute to the Syrian Refugee crisis and support the initiative of London Deanery.  It can be confusing and almost overwhelming.

I believe that the lesson we can take from Jesus today is to give with our hearts.  One commentary I read held that what Jesus is valuing in the widow who gave the mite is a “Genuine Heart, a Grateful Spirit, and a Generous Attitude”.  The widow did not give from her abundance but from everything she had.  We are called to give from a sense of gratitude and thankfulness for what God has given us.  The amount that we give and where we give is a matter between each of us and God (and perhaps our accountants).  

I have resolved some of my conflict with giving to panhandlers by deciding I am not going to try and judge whether they are worthy or are trying to scam me.  I will give a certain amount when I am asked and when I reach my limit and will say I am not supporting them today.  However, I will try to do it out of a generous heart and try to treat each person as a human being who is a child of God even though he or she may not appear to be made in the image of a God that in my heart of hearts I recognize.  Each of us as Christians is called to discern how to respond to Jesus command to love our neighbour as ourselves.  We are called to try and do that each day.  Some days it is easier than others and sometimes we will do it better than other but we are called to try.  The cultivation of a Genuine Heart, a Grateful Spirit, and a Generous Attitude can take a lifetime but it is the journey we are called to as followers of Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.  Thanks be to God.