Joy, Generosity, and Freedom

Dear People of Christ Church,
This week, I'm thinking about the practice of generosity. On Tuesday night we were talking about how it's kind of a muscle--the more you do it, the easier it is.   A lot of the reason we shy away from deep generosity is fear. On Sunday as part of the intro to stewardship, Sasha Killewald talked about how she and Phil were having a conversation about what to pledge and he threw out a number. Immediately, Sasha recounted, she said, "No way. It's too much." But, Sasha continued,  "Really what I was saying is, I'm afraid."

Part of our fear, I think, comes from a misplaced understanding of freedom.  It's easy to blame our consumer culture, operating under the assumption that all of our problems can be fixed with money.  Many can, and that's not always a bad thing.   I can't just knit myself a new hot water heater; I have to pay someone to bring it to my house and install it for me.   There is nothing faithless about saving up money for emergencies. But  even Jesus advised against "gathering into barns"  and finding security in our possessions. If people could be distracted by their stuff even in first-century Palestine, we're toast, right?

Yes and no. It may be that our temptations seem more tempting, but every ancient religion has something to say about real freedom. There is something about our human proclivity to anxiety that has maybe always prompted us to look for security in the wrong places. Whether India or the Middle East or the Americas or Japan, basically everybody always has struggled with finding the transcendent peace that can put "stuff" in its proper place.     

Most powerfully, we have God, and we have each other.  We gather in church on Sundays bringing different gifts and we all come from different places on our journey with giving. I was raised to tithe at least ten percent, and that's what my own family does. But I still struggle with wondering whether it's "enough."   Census factfinder.gov says that mean household income in Waltham is $68,326- a 5% annual pledge would be almost $3,500.  Is it only about money? Of course not. This year we're intentionally seeking to honor and nurture our gifts of time and talent as well. But even the most generous with our time still want the lights to be on when we arrive (and, on the other side, even the biggest pledgers still want somebody singing in the choir!).

Still, why should we give? On a Biblical level, sure, we give because we're told to. There are a lot of instructions in the Bible that we can sort of interpret our way out of (three cheers for ending the prohibition on lobster!)  But the stuff about giving our money just isn't about interpretation.  Does the amount have to be 10%? It's a standard to work toward, but not necessarily a place to stop when you get there.

The other reason to give is more subtle. It's not just because Jesus or Abraham tells you to. The other reason to give is that it's joyful. By refusing to be bound by what our reptile brain and consumer society says is what "security" really is, we're staking our lives in God in a new way, declaring our emancipation.  

Finally, we do it because it's who we are. That's where the joy really is. As baptized Christians we join the pattern of God's life, and God's live is one of continual and joyful gift. Thanks be to God!

Blessings,
Sara+