June 16, 1999

LIFE & WORK:
The privilege of giving is
one of God's best gifts
___ Malachi 2:17-3:12
___By Brett Younger
___Lake Shore Baptist Church, Waco
___If pastors have a favorite verse in Malachi (feel free to quiz your minister) it's probably, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse" (Malachi 3:10), but most pastors don't bring it up very often. Not wanting to be accused of always talking about money, they downplay stewardship and apologize for ever talking about money: "I don't like talking about this!" "I don't talk about this very often!" "I'm not like other ministers who ask for money!"
___ Sometimes pastors feel forced to talk about money out of institutional self-interest: "If you don't give, we will turn off the air conditioner during worship, play an accordion rather than the organ, sprinkle rather than immerse and, worst of all, provide no more coffee before Sunday school."
___A few pastors ruin things for the rest of us by promising great rewards for giving: "The more money you give, the more you will get." "Giving to the church leads to weight loss." "Tithing will make you irresistible to the opposite sex." "People who give to the church live longer." (If it's not true, it should be.)
___All of these approaches miss the joy and renewal that comes through giving.
___ Giving to God refocuses life (Malachi 2:17-3:5). The people in Malachi's day needed renewal. They didn't even recognize God's presence (v. 17). The prophet promises that when they realize God is with them it will not be a picnic. God will come as a launderer's soap or a refiner's fire (v. 2). The purifying process will result in offerings acceptable to God (vv. 3-4) as their focus moves from worldly matters to God's presence.
___ Giving to God acknowledges God's ownership (Malachi 3:6-9). The people's unwillingness to give has kept them from recognizing God's ownership of everything. When the people ask, "How are we to return?" Malachi's answer is to stop robbing God. Biographers say that what's often most helpful in understanding their subjects is reading their checkbooks. The people of Israel show they think God unimportant by withholding their tithes and offerings.
___ Giving to God brings God's blessings (Malachi 3:10-12). The direction to give a tenth was to provide for the temple, the feast days and care for the poor. The idea of the tithe grew out of the harvesting of crops. It was clear if they used everything, there would be no seed for the next year. Originally the tithe was the seed fund, putting 10 percent back into the process so it could continue and flourish. Tithing makes it clear it's wrong to take and never give back.
___When Yogi Berra was asked what he would do if he found a million dollars in the street, he responded, "I'd find the fellow who lost it, and if he was poor, I'd return it." Sometimes our approach to giving doesn't make much sense. We need to understand we need to give more than God needs our money. Our giving shouldn't be motivated by guilt or selfishness, but gratitude. Gratefulness will begin when we recognize the privilege of giving is one of God's best gifts.

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