GIVING: INVESTING IN ETERNITY

I stared at the red Corvette in the lane next to me and heard, “That could be yours, you know.”I heard a voice, a voice that was directed to my soul. The light turned green, and I stepped on the accelerator. I tried to shake the thoughts, but I couldn’t. “That could be yours” played over and over again.

“What if I didn’t go into full-time ministry? Is that so bad? I could become a businessman, make lots of money, and even drive a Corvette, giving generously to the church.” Suddenly, I snapped back to reality. Whoa. Where did that come from? I knew the Lord had directed me to study to become a full-time minister. Financial sacrifices were sure to come with the territory, but did I want to sacrifice?

I finished my studies and became an ordained minister. I worked for several years as a music pastor, enjoying life but collecting few material goods. Amazingly, I didn’t mind. Even though my wife and I didn’t have much, we thoroughly enjoyed giving time, hospitality, and money. The Lord always took care of us, and we began using more and more of our income for what I call eternal investments. We almost became giddy when we had enough money to add “one more missionary” to our giving list or help a friend with groceries.

The Lord then opened the door for us to become business owners. We understood this was the right step for us this time because the Lord knew He could trust us with His resources. (Yes, we could now afford a Corvette.) But living dead means dying to the immediate (leather interior and ragtop roof) and living for the eternal (fully loaded crown).

But The Lord had one more act of giving to ask of us. He asked us to give up the well-established, much-respected life we knew to go to a hot, dusty land with few roads and even fewer Corvettes. He asked us to give our lives to tell Muslims about the greatest act of giving: Jesus.

In Matthew 19:29, Jesus says, “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.”

To an investor, “a hundred times” is a return beyond his wildest dreams. Who wouldn’t want to invest in a “sure thing”? Well, lots of people. Why? Because living-dead giving hurts. You have to die to your wants, die to a society that tells you what you need, die to that three-bedroom house, die to that amazing new car on the showroom floor. Ouch.

Living dead requires a heart that gives more than a tithe than an obligatory offering. Living dead asks you to give quickly and freely. Matthew 10:8 says, “You have freely received; freely give.”

LIVE DEAD CHALLENGE

Once you understand the principle of giving, you realize that it is impossible to out-give God. If you truly trust in His care for you, you’ll release your resources, knowing that He will continue to provide. Practice giving. Start by being faithful in tithing. For another challenge, forget the daily latte and put a $20 bill in your pocket. Ask the Lord to direct your steps in giving it away today. Maybe it’s helping a single mom with car repairs, a missionary trying to get to the field, an elderly man with an overdue utility bill. Be open, even with your life. Challenge yourself to increase your giving continually, and as you do, journal God’s provision in your life.

UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP: HARARI

Composing just under 10 percent within their city, Harari people have moved throughout Ethiopia, mainly to Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa, establishing families and businesses. The Harari people have also spread throughout North America, primarily living in cities such as Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Toronto. Pray for the Harari people whenever you take a long trip away from home. Some consider them to be the least-reached people in Ethiopia. Pray they would find their way to an eternal home.