#124of365 #FaithBites #FaithJourney #StarWarsDay

Before we get started, I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Star Wars Day. And being Lutheran, I can’t help but when someone says “May the Force Be with You”, I have to say “And also with you”. Anywho, onto today’s lesson.

Today’s lesson is about giving generously. We’ve talked about giving before, but I wanted to visit it once again. Tonight is the 26th Annual Celebrating Children Auction. It’s an annual event at my daughter’s school that helps to raise money for scholarships, technology, tools, and general working on the school. It’s an awesome fun time. It’s great to network, look at create items, eat, and fellowship in Christian faith. It’s also a time to open the wallets and give generously.

You may be thinking: Sol, this is a private school. They have all the money they need. The fact is no. Teachers in our school have the same constraints as others in terms of supplies for their rooms, salaries, and more. The school doesn’t want to turn someone away because of tuition and because of offerings. While the Church helps through donations of members, this really helps set the school on a firmer financial footing. The past two years that I have gone, I’ve seen generosity like no other. I have seen people open up their hearts and give. It was the first time in a long time that I didn’t feel bad or empty with giving. I am looking forward to giving. Not to get a great deal on a basket or something, but to truly give to the children.

Dave Ramsey speaks of this as does the Bible in general. Give openly and fully and you will be rewarded for that.

“One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” – Proverbs 11:24-25

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” – Matthew 10:42

“As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

When I first attended an auction many moons ago, I saw people raising the prices of items well beyond my ability. I thought they were showing off. They were not letting people who weren’t that wealthy or able not be part of it. Then last year, I was at an auction an someone donated $25,000 to pay for a specific project. I was shocked and awed. But my ideas and mindset changed. I saw how blessed they were by the Lord and shared that. At our auction, they do a fund in need and ask for high offerings but they don’t stop until everyone could put something in, even if it’s $5. Like the women above, $5 may be all you have to give, but it could be more than the thousands that someone else puts in. God doesn’t look at how much you put in, but are you giving of yourself. Because everything is God’s, we are just stewards of it.

Not only is it the money that people are putting in. The co-chairs and the committee and others have put in countless hours to put on this event. Like all fundraising, it takes a village. They are giving their time that would otherwise be used for work, for family, for hobbies, into these events. They are giving generously.  We need to give generously of our thanks for them and whatever and however we can to support these causes.

Are you willing to be one of Jesus’s Disciples and give your heart? Are you willing to trust that the Lord will provide for you? Are you willing to accept your role as a steward of God’s resources?

I am willing and able (with the help of God)