Idols and Generosity

A few weeks ago, I found myself downstairs participating in one of the Sunday School classrooms.  The lesson was about idols and Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness.

Now, remember in a religious sense, an idol is something we worship instead of God.

Toward the end of the lesson  Audrey passed out index cards to each of the kids and asked them to write down an idol on the index card—Now I didn’t get an index card, but decided I would participate too anyway.  I quickly grabbed the wallet out of my back pocket and —leafed through it to find the largest bill I had and proudly put a $10 bill down on the table in front of me.   I was feeling kind of proud of myself naming money as an idol.    We then went around the room telling each other our idols.  Video games, or video game systems, toys, some body mentioned her parents and me money.  

Audrey then asked us to tear up the representation of our idols.

As they kids were tearing up their index cards.  I surreptitiously tried to slide the ten dollar bill into my pocket.  But the kids saw me and one of them  screamed out “What about Fr. Sean?” For a moment I had no idea what to do.  I just stared blankly at the kids, thinking, “You don’t just rip up money.

Then luckily I remembered we were taking a collection for victims in the Merrimack valley and promised to put it in the plate—thinking that might be better than tearing it up or putting it back in my pocket

Over the last few weeks I have been curious and a little bit troubled by my immediate response to try to protect this precious idol—to save it for my own selfish use—whatever that might be.  I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have pulled it out and put it in the plate had I not been caught by the Sunday School kids. 

But I’ve also come to realize that for me being generous and giving away a bit of my money make money less powerful, less  of an idol.   

We are now deeply into our New Consecration Sunday stewardship season— for the last few weeks we have been invited to prayerfully consider what our estimate of giving will be. Next week we will have the opportunity to name that estimate--- to write it down on a card and walk it up to the altar to present it to God.

As you know,  this is the second year of the program and like last year the focus is not on giving because the church or the budget needs it to keep the lights on or to pay the rector or to service the organ

But really  the focus is on our need as disciples, followers of Jesus to give—to be people generosity—New consecration Sunday asks us to wrestle with questions like what is God calling me to give financially or how might God be asking me to grow in my giving?   

The program uses words like tithe..  giving ten percent of one’s income or  percentage giving---- giving a certain percentage of one’s income maybe 3 or 5 or 7 percent or maybe even going above a tithe to give 12-15% of our  .

For some of us these concepts  might be helpful to give some  structure to  our generosity.  They might give us a benchmark for how we might grow---Growing might be giving ½ percent or 1% more of our income.   

For others – and I’ll raise my hand to be in this category---though those words might create some discomfort---–if they do create discomfort—you might want to sit with that discomfort for a bit—wonder about why that is for you.   

Why does imagining giving 10% of our income create discomfort?  Why does inviting God into the pledge conversation create discomfort?  For me inviting God in means that I might be asked to do something that I’m not comfortable with. 

But I think we need to dig  in the garden of discomfort to discover a bit about our self and our relationship with money and our relationship with God

Henri Nouwen on a book on Stewardship says that sometimes we see money as a security blanket—something that might protect us from life.     If we see money as security and protection—giving it away might make us feel less secure—let protected. 

You may have seen that Paul Allen, one the founders of Microsoft died this week at the young age of 65  Paul had so much money—that among his yacht and plane  and various “toys” he even had a submarine. It just boggles my mind that private citizens now have submarines.  I was think if I won the mega millions a submarine might be in order.

Paul though with more money than God couldn’t keep from getting sick— couldn’t live to a ripe old age--- he couldn’t buy life. 

Jesus invites his followers to invest elsewhere not in things that moth and rust consume but things that we might truly anchor our lives to, that have eternal significance.    If money is security—maybe we need to trade that in and anchor our lives to God.

I think when we prayerfully consider our giving and our generosity and we are being called to wrestle like Jacob did with the angel to wrestle with idol that could exert power over us.    

But I think generosity, giving helps us get the relationship right and to take the shiny idol down off the mantle.   Yes we need money to operate in the world we live in, to have shelter --to feed our families--- to be able to retire when the time comes---but Jesus also reminds us that part of our walk is not allowing that money -- that mammon to be our master-- to direct our lives—but to serve something else-- God and God’s creation. 

Herb Miller, the creator of the New Consecration Sunday says that tithing and giving are being a part of what is holy, eternal and truly “good life.”   Tithing and giving help us to  step more full into the holy and good life.  They allow us to join God in God’s work.

So this week so this week  as you consider your estimate of giving –as you think about what you will write on your pledge—when you think about how God might be calling you grow in -- if there is discomfort sit with it turn it over in your head,  wonder why.

Maybe ask God into the conversation-ask God to help you see more clearly sources of discomfort and maybe ask God to help you  to grow.  

Over the course of my ministry I have seen again and again that as generosity increases they inch ever closer and closer to God and God’s people and God’s purposes for them—I’ve seen them taste the holy and Good life.   I have heard again and again how their generosity feels really good because in it they see God’s kingdom coming to dwell in their midst. 

Think about the money that we put in the plate will be sent to the Merrimack valley that money is going to  help people to rebuild their lives that money is may help alleviate someone’s suffering— that money is going to lift people up ---that money is going to help people know that they are not in this alone.   

Our generosity, our giving  has real power to bring life. 

AMEN