This morning I’m preparing to spend my entire day surrounded by nature. I’ll see beautiful green landscapes. I’ll feel the sun on my face. I’ll watch wildlife cross open grassy fields. I’ll listen to the gentle trickle of nearby streams. Yes, I will be playing golf!
What a wonderful sport! Every time I’m on the course I feel like I’m surrounded by God and his creation. Sure, I know the neatly manicured greens were not solely of his doing; and my venturing into the woods to retrieve one of my golf balls really wasn’t the intent of my last swing. Nevertheless, there’s nothing like a beautiful day on the golf course.
So when do you feel closest to God? Better yet when do you feel closest to God financially?
Financial Closeness
That’s a tricky question. I’m not talking about tithing – although for some of you this may be when you feel financially close to God. When do you feel God’s pleasure in your life financially? For me, it’s when I help those who aren’t expecting any help. It’s when I give beyond our normal tithe to a person or organization that desperately needs it, but never saw the gift coming.
This doesn’t mean I don’t feel close to God when I do other financial things. It simply means these are the times I feel closest. I would venture to say it’s different for all of us. For some fathers like me, they may feel closest to God when they sacrifice to ensure their kids can go to college. Maybe you feel closest at the start of the month when you’re doing your budget and you see “Giving/Charity” is at the top of the page. Or maybe you feel closest to God financially when pay the rent or mortgage because you know you’ve demonstrated financial responsibility and provided a positive witness.
For every one of us the answer may be different. For some believers this question may be something you’ve never even considered. But for all of us it’s an opportunity which lies in within our grasp. The trick is not to let opportunities pass by without thoughtful consideration.
Opportunity
I’ve heard people say they want to do something financially meaningful, but don’t know where to start. They know about tithing at their church, but are skeptical of giving in other places. Today there are people who take advantage of the charity of others. However, you shouldn’t let this stop you! Think about it . . . part of being financial responsible means knowing where your money is going. That doesn’t mean just understanding how much money you spend on eating out. It means knowing where you’re investing your money.
Giving money is an investment; and as Dave Ramsey puts it, “Don’t invest in what you don’t understand.” This doesn’t mean you have to spend unending hours studying the habits of every charitable organization. Just be open to the opportunities that come before you. Sometimes it’s the smallest gift that can make the biggest difference. Money gifts don’t have to be “huge” to make a “huge” difference!
For more thoughts on this topic, see Why You Should Give to the Poor.
The Real Risk
Giving involves risk. That might not be the conventional wisdom, but I believe it to be true. Most people don’t take risks because they want to feel secure. They want to know what they worked so hard for will not be wasted. They don’t want see their time or dollars spent unwisely. These are all legitimate feelings and shouldn’t be ignored. But don’t let these feelings bring you to a dead stop.
The good news is risk and reward also flow together. Your reward can come in so many different ways . . . personal satisfaction, a gift from God, college education for your kids, new lifetime friendships, opportunities for more giving, overwhelming joy, debt freedom . . . and rewards you and I can’t even imagine! Trust in God and believe big! Look for the ways you feel financially close to God and strengthen that relationship. Your real risk is losing a potential opportunity to be even closer to God!
When do you feel financially one with God? Have you ever experienced an unexpected financial reward? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!
