GRATITUDE OR GREED #1?

            Let’s be honest! If you were asked “do you want more?”, how would you answer? Most of us would answer “yes”, whether it’s career, relationships, money or anything really. It’s how the world around us functions, and how we live in that world. There are a lot of phrases or sayings that speak to this. Two of them are:

• ·         Keeping up with the Joneses
• ·         The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence

            I find that when I am in need, or worried, or suffering, that my prayer life is pretty good. Asking God for help or asking God to heal a loved one. That come’s pretty easy, doesn’t it? But when I’m doing okay, or things are going well, or the bank account is full, my prayer life may not be all it should be. It’s easy to forget God when things are going well. But when we don’t have much, we’re usually more grateful for what we do have.

            The conversation around scarcity versus abundance often seems to focus on God providing enough. The church needs to focus on God’s abundance, not our scarcity. Let’s look at it a little differently, when abundance actually causes a problem:

            When we personally experience abundance, having more than we need, we start to lose our way, constantly reaching for what we don’t have and wanting more. Even though we have more than we could possibly use, we reach for more and more “stuff.”

            Churches can have this same problem.

• ·         I’ve worked with churches who have a very small checking account, and struggle week-to-week to keep the lights on, pay the pastor, and do mission and ministry. Some of those churches seem to be fixated on scarcity, not having enough to be able to do “everything” they want. While others see that God has provided what they need to be able to be the church of God.
• ·         I’ve worked with other churches, whose checking accounts are fairly flush, and who have large endowments. Sounds like a dream come true, doesn’t it? Problem is, some of the people sitting in the pews figure that the church already has enough and so don’t contribute generously. This is an issue that hurts the people, taking away their need to give and support the work of God. It’s also an issue that hurts the church. Sometimes the church will look for a bigger and better building, or a bigger and better preacher, or better decorations or pew cushions, losing sight of the abundance that they have and the ministry that could be done.

            Constantly reaching for more hurts us and those around us. We don’t see our neighbor; we don’t help the helpless, we don’t house the homeless and we don’t feed the hungry. We just grab for more and more for ourselves.

            Our hands can’t help others if their grasped in tight fists holding on to our stuff and not reaching out in love and generosity.

            REMINDER: The Stewardship Academy is being held April 23^rd, May 21^st, June 18^th and July 16^th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you are interested in a registration form or information on the academy itself, please let me know (susanranous@unyumc.org)