High Yield Investments

"Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns." (Ecclesiastes 11:1, The Message)

I don't know why it is, but most of the people in America are not very generous. You'd think that we would be as the richest nation on earth, where even those who live at a poverty level are rich compared to most of the world. And how do we share that wealth? At the rate of about 2% a year in total charitable donations.

I've been to several concerts over this last year and one of the common things at nearly every show is a time for the artist/band to share their testimony and their chosen mission beyond their music. It is a neat trend, hearing stories of how these artists are giving of themselves in mission, going to different parts of the world, trying to make a difference. And then giving their audiences a chance to share in it. Compassion International is one of those organizations I've heard from many times. We as a family adopted on young chil,d Jaco, from Mozambique. We write to him and he us. It makes us feel like we are making some difference.

We've found other ways to give, too. But instead of working down through them, as it might become an opportunity to boast and I don't want to do that, I'd rather mention how we have benefitted from the charity of God and others through the years.

We've received many gifts, especially since joining the ministry: food on the days we've moved out or in to a parsonage, cards of encouragement at random times of the year, monetary gifts at holidays or just as a simple thanks for what we do, gift certificates for books or even books themselves, and one of our favorites, invitations to someone's home for a meal. We understand charity as we have benefitted from it, from our families who have given way beyond what we ever really needed to churches who have taken care of us so that we could minister. It's been overwhelming and we have been blessed so many more times than we can count.

It was one of those days many years ago when we were fretting over our main vehicle that was about to give out. I hadn't been out of seminary long and student loans, every day expenses of the family were stretching our budget already so a big repair bill for our main vehicle would put us over the edge. But being prideful and not wanting to share this information with the church or the staff or even our families, Peggy and I simply prayed for a solution.

It wasn't but a few days later that we received a nice card in the mail. It had no return address, wasn't signed by anyone except for a blessing for our family, recognizing we might be able to use a gift which happened to be 20 $100 bills. I remember sitting on the bed with Peggy looking at me funny as I pulled the wad from the card and started counting. I counted again with tears in my eyes and looked again for a name, a clue, something that could tie this gift with someone I could call and thank. But it wasn't there. And so we turned to God, knowing where the gift truly came from and we gave great thanks.

We still do give great thanks for how people are generous with us. And even more now that we are able to be generous with others. We have found that giving not only blesses those who benefit, but we are blessed as well. It truly is an investment for us, in the Kingdom of God. We learned it, by being both receivers and givers, not by reading heartwarming stories. Generosity only comes from giving freely and often, without strings attached. Generosity grows out of giving.

Want to invest in something really important, give to those in need.

God will bless you for it.

Peace ><>
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