Diocese of Toledo, Ohio

Browsing From the Pastor

Practical Suggestions for an On-going Invitation

   We always find room in our lives for that which matters to us. Somehow, we find the time, energy and financial resources for that about which we care.

   As we acknowledge the Lord to be the Source of all that we are and have, we will want to express our gratitude for all that has been entrusted to us. This includes doing this with our financial resources. When the wise men came to worship our Lord as a small child, they offered generous material gifts.

   We are invited to express our gratitude to the Lord for all that we receive by practicing financial sacrificial giving. This can be done in ways such as the following. A number of us resolve to give a certain percentage of our income to the Lord for His work from right off of the top of what we receive. This is what Abel did. He offered the first fruits of what he received to the Lord. A biblical guide for our financial sacrificial giving is to offer 10% of what we receive for the Lord’s work. A number of us are not there yet. If we want to work toward the goal of tithing in regard to our financial giving, we might resolve this year to set aside a definite percentage of our income to go for the Lord’s work. Every year, we might resolve to increase our giving to the Lord by 1 or 2%. Over a period of time, with the Lord’s help, we will become tithers. Setting aside a percentage of our income for the Lord’s work would operate in two directions. If our income goes down, the amount that we give would decrease. If our income goes up, hopefully we would express this in the amount that we offer.

   Another standard that we might use for practicing financial sacrificial giving is to prayerfully determine what is a necessity and what is a luxury for us from the Lord’s perspective. If we allow our culture to determine for us what we need and what we want, we would not have anything to offer for the Lord’s work on a regular basis. As our society develops, yesterday’s luxuries become today’s necessities. No one can determine for anyone else what is a necessity and what is a luxury. It is vital that we do not judge others. As we strive to become aware of that which we need and that which is a luxury from the Lord’s perspective, we might want to give up one luxury item at a time and offer what we would have spent on this for the Lord’s work.

   However we choose to practice financial sacrificial giving, I hope that we will want to graciously and cheerfully embrace this facet of Christian discipleship. A number of us have discovered that as we put the Lord first in the manner in which we spend our time and energy, we always have the time and energy that are needed for what the Lord wants of us. Even so, as we put the Lord first in regard to how we spend our income, we will discover that we do have enough money to live in this world as the Lord wants us to do this. In regard to money matters, we will experience a growing sense of peace that no one nor anything can take from us.  

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Nelson Beaver – Pastor

 
 
 
 

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