Wednesday of the Eleventh Week
Generosity is a character trait that seems to be found either naturally in people or not. But it is also a trait that can be practiced and eventually learned, yet more difficult to find is a cheerful giver. Also, one might think that material wealth would determine levels of generosity. Yet recent statistics show that 8% of those making $20,000 or less gave at least 10% of their incomes to churches while 1% of those making 75,000 to $99,999 gave a similar amount. The statistics and the readings today challenged me to reflect upon the question, “Who were the cheerful givers from my own experience and what might they teach me about generosity?”
My reflection led me to a summer where I encountered some of the most materially poor yet spiritually happy people. These were the people from Magoffin County, Kentucky. These people knew they were poor, however they never considered, that I could see, that life a dealt them a bad hand. They were not victims. They did not believe that God had forgotten about them, on the contrary, they saw themselves as blessed. I still remember the family who invited us to a party at their trailer. This family probably lived on less than what many of people would consider a living wage, yet their generosity was abundant. The cliché ‘they would give you the shirt off your back’ probably was rooted in Magoffin County. These wonderful people would give all they had cheerfully, if they knew it would bring you joy.
Cheerful givers are generous, yet their giving is sacrificial. Giving until it hurts mirrors the abundant giving of our loving God who promises to provide for us. Sacrificial giving also connects us directly to the cross of Christ, on which Jesus gave His all, so that we might have an abundant life.
While cheerful giving connects us to the cross of Christ, Jesus adds one more requirement for giving in today’s gospel. Jesus encourages us that only giving done in secret will be rewarded by God. This was an Old Testament ideal. The Hebrew ideal stressed that secret giving for the benefit of stranger who could not repay you in any way was highest form of almsgiving.
Giving without receiving was an ideal many of us learned at an early age. Is this still the ideal? Many times the giving of time, talent, or treasure come with strings attached. This means getting something in return for our giving.
For Paul, cheerful giving shows our understanding of God’s abundant blessings for us. Jesus demands that this giving be done in secret so that it will bear the best fruit. Each of us needs to decide if and how we are living out this cheerful generosity with no strings attached.
-Michael Montgomery