Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:18-19 – “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.” (NRSVue)
When I think about the blessings of life that I have received, I ask myself a super basic question: what is my money for? When I look at what we do with our money at this time of year, I think I have a pretty good answer to that question.
Now is the time that many churches engage in “stewardship campaigns” where they ask for pledges of “time, talent, and treasure” to ensure funding and volunteers for the coming year. And as we move into the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, we are also entering a time when people think about generosity to those less fortunate than them. This is also a time with lots of gift giving, when the economic fortunes of many people lie in the balance.
So what is money for? It is to support the things you care about, help those in need, and spread joy to the people you love.
When it comes to money, we shouldn’t hoard it or lord it. Money is not just meant to be saved, but to be spent wisely. And money should not be used as a marker of prestige but as an opportunity to help others and make the world a better place.
Of course, as they say, “A fool and his money are soon parted.” We are expected to be wise investors of our time, talent, and treasure. And this led me to think about the passage above from the First Letter to Timothy. It talks about storing riches as “a good foundation for the future.” This can mean several things. It can be done to ensure we grow our money for the future and not waste it away. But it can also mean investing in the things and people that really matter, things like churches and charities, the poor and needy, and the people that bring us love. When we are generous to these Thanksgiving-and-Christmas people, we are creating the world that we want to see, and that God wants to see.
The New Testament teaches that the treasure to allocate for the sake of others is treasure stored in heaven or as the letter puts it, toward “the life that really is life.” This holiday season, think about what kind of life you live and what kind of life you would like to support. If you are fortunate to have enough beyond meeting your basic needs, think about how you use it. Do you hoard it? Lord it? What foundation are you building or adding to with however much or little you have? For the life that really is life is the one we build not just for our future, but for the safety and happiness of all of God’s children.
Prayer: God, let me take what you have so graciously given to me and help me share it so that your love may be known to all. Amen.
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