This is my last post in this series about giving, but it is
certainly not the last word. Almost
daily we receive telephone calls asking us to donate to various causes. Solicitations may also come in our mailboxes
or inboxes. One of our instincts is to
resent these requests and become hardened to them.
I do not suggest
we say, “Yes” to everyone who asks for our money. We do need to be discerning since some causes are more worthy
than others. Instead, we can be the
kind of people who give before we are asked.
By setting aside an amount in our monthly budgets for giving, we can be
prepared for any requests made of us.
As well, we can tell the agency asking for our dollars that we have
already given our monthly allotment to another cause. When we say, “No,” it will not be out of stinginess or
hard-heartedness.
Some people may
find it helpful to match their giving amount to another line item in their spending budget. For example, giving away an
amount equal to the electricity bill can remind us how powerful our
gifts will be in the lives of others in need.
Another family may choose to take the amount usually spent on eating out
as their giving guide.
The Macedonian churches
are cited in 1 Corinthians 8:4 as having “urgently pleaded with us for the
privilege of sharing” their resources with the needy. I’d like to be known as a person who takes initiative when there
are clear needs and who does not sit back waiting to be asked.
No comments:
Post a Comment