Daily Scripture: Matthew 6:2 So, when you do tzedakah, don’t announce it with trumpets to win people’s praise, like the hypocrites in the synagogues and on the streets. Yes! I tell you, they have their reward already! 3 But you, when you do tzedakah, don’t even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Then your tzedakah will be in secret; and your Father, who sees what you do in secret, will reward you.
Reflection Questions:
Jesus understood that it feels good when people praise our good deeds. But he also knew the profound spiritual danger of letting other people’s praise become the main motivator moving us to behave generously. The purpose of generously blessing others is to honor and emulate our generous God, not to make ourselves look good in people’s eyes.
- Verse 2 seems to indicate that, in Jesus' day, some people actually hired a trumpeter to play a fanfare before they put their large gift in the synagogue or Temple treasury! Have you ever seen a situation in which giving was done ostentatiously, seemingly with an eye on how much applause it could generate? What impact did such a spirit have on your attitude toward giving?
- This week, do a caring, generous thing (like giving a hurting co-worker an anonymous gift, or helping an aging neighbor you’ve never talked to) without letting anyone (but God, of course) know about it. Ponder what happens inside you afterward. See what you learn about yourself by doing a good thing without any human recognition or praise.
O God, when I give, teach me more and more how to put away my trumpet. Let your approval be all that I need, and all that I seek. Amen.
---------------------Insights from Janelle Gregory
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist.
Do you ever go onto the real estate websites just to take a peek? I recently found myself doing just that. Page after page of houses for sale. We don’t even need a new house, but I just wanted to see what was out there in our price-range. Lots of great houses for sure, but there wasn’t anything that made me want to rent the moving-truck.
But then I got to thinking, “I wonder what kind of houses would be in our price-range if we stopped giving to the church.” It’s not like we give half of everything we own, but it’s enough that you get entirely different houses in entirely different neighborhoods when you enter that monthly figure when sorting.
And so I looked.
There they were, beautifully staged, and right there at my fingertips. They had more rooms, more features, nicer finishings, in better locations. I found myself mentally moving in, putting my groceries away in a pantry the size of our guest bedroom.
But mentally moving in required me mentally moving funds as well. I had to force myself to stop and think of that impact. What would I be saying no to?
Well, I’d be saying no to the children’s ministries dedicated to introducing and leading the future of our church to know and love Jesus.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like we’re giving our last dime. Generosity is something I’ll struggle with for as long as I live, but remembering how the money is spent makes that easier. It’s my hope that we can all join in that. God has good things in store for his church, so let’s not choose the pantry (or the pleasure of your choice) over being a part of his everlasting mission.
Do you ever go onto the real estate websites just to take a peek? I recently found myself doing just that. Page after page of houses for sale. We don’t even need a new house, but I just wanted to see what was out there in our price-range. Lots of great houses for sure, but there wasn’t anything that made me want to rent the moving-truck.
But then I got to thinking, “I wonder what kind of houses would be in our price-range if we stopped giving to the church.” It’s not like we give half of everything we own, but it’s enough that you get entirely different houses in entirely different neighborhoods when you enter that monthly figure when sorting.
And so I looked.
There they were, beautifully staged, and right there at my fingertips. They had more rooms, more features, nicer finishings, in better locations. I found myself mentally moving in, putting my groceries away in a pantry the size of our guest bedroom.
But mentally moving in required me mentally moving funds as well. I had to force myself to stop and think of that impact. What would I be saying no to?
Well, I’d be saying no to the children’s ministries dedicated to introducing and leading the future of our church to know and love Jesus.
- I’d be saying no to the holy moments of care between a pastor and a grieving family.
- I’d be saying no to helping other churches in desperate need of encouragement and resources.
- I’d be saying no to providing malaria medication for a dying child in Malawi.
- I’d be saying no to Bible studies, worship nights, Bless the School, baptisms, raising up pastors…
- And most of all, I’d be saying no to God.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like we’re giving our last dime. Generosity is something I’ll struggle with for as long as I live, but remembering how the money is spent makes that easier. It’s my hope that we can all join in that. God has good things in store for his church, so let’s not choose the pantry (or the pleasure of your choice) over being a part of his everlasting mission.
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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