Give With Cheer!

Proverbs 11:24-30; II Corinthians 9:6-13, 15; Luke 6:32-38

There is a story about a well that was once dug in a desert area that gave good water for many many years. People could depend upon that well providing good, life-giving water even during the dryest times of the year and even after several years of drought. Even after all the other wells in the area had dried up, all a person had to do was drop their bucket down that well and they could depend upon getting a good, cold, plentiful drink of water.

Now, the story continues that after many years the old well was replaced by a new well with an electric pump. Of course, the people who owned the land around the old well wanted to have running water in their home. So, they put a cover over the old well and forgot about it.

Years went by until, one day, something went wrong with the new well. Either the pump broke or the well went dry. So, the people, remembering that there was this nice old well, went over and lifted the old cover off and dropped a bucket attached to a rope down the well. But, instead of hearing a "splash" at the bottom of the well, they heard a big, empty, dusty "thud." There was no water in the well. It had gone completely dry.

Curious about why the old well had gone dry, they asked a geologist about it. And the geologist said, "Some wells are like that. Even after years of giving, if a well goes unused for even a short time, the capillaries that feed water to the well will close up and then the well can give no water, anymore.

The old adage "It is more blessed to give than to receive," is something for us to really take seriously. We may have heard the phrase a thousand times, but maybe we've hear it so often because it is true.

Maybe you heard how there was once a Sunday School teacher who said to a little boy in her class, "Now, Jimmy, I want you to memorize today's motto, 'It's more blessed to give than to receive.'"

The little boy replied, "Yes, but I know it now. My father says he has always used that as his motto in his business."

Surprised, the teacher asked the boy, "Oh, how wonderful! And what is his business?

The little boy replied, "My dad's a boxer, and he always wants to give more than receive.

This morning's scripture from the book of Proverbs talks about giving. It says, "Some people give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want." Christians have always believed that in God's economy it is those persons who are generous who receive a return on their generosity, while those who are conservative with their giving are more apt to be in need, themselves. And we're not really sure why this is so, but it truly seems to be the way it is.

There is the story of a man by the name of Kenneth S. Keyes, a leading realtor in Florida and around the South. It is said that Keyes started tithing in the middle of the depression when things blew up in his face. He gave to God not with the idea that it would help him make more money, but because he believed God had first claim on his life.

As God prospered his real estate business he organized seven different corporations which sell and lease real estate, provide mortgages and manage property. In 1938 Keyes decided that his corporations would tithe also. Today the tithed moneys of all Keyes companies go into a foundation which has a charter provision which stipulates that 56 and ⅔ percent of all funds must go to Christian causes.

Keyes has increased his personal giving from the tithe of the founding years up to 30% today -- which he has maintained for many years. On top of that, whenever his net worth exceeds one million dollars after these deductions, he gives more to bring his net worth down to one million -- a figure he never intends to exceed. But, then, who really needs more than that, anyway?

But then, such a giving as this is difficult for many to understand. A number of years ago the Russell Sage Foundation published the results of a survey. In the United States, families with a net income of less thatn $15,000 a year gave more than 60% of all the money donated to charity. Families whose income was less than $25,000 a year donated 82% of the total given to charity. But, families with incomes between $50,000 and a $100,000 gave only 1.9% of their income to charity.

According to an Internal Revenue Service analysis, Americans who itemize their deductions give less than 2.5% of their adjusted gross incomes to church and charity.

Amazingly, it continues to be those who really don't have it who give it, while those who do have it keep it to themselves!

But, our Lord Jesus espoused a way of living that goes against this kind of stingy thinking. It was Jesus who said, "If you only love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them."

Think about this for a few moments, will you? Imagine what life would be like if we only cared for those who care for us! There wouldn't be volunteers who give of themselves and of their time and of their resources to help others. There wouldn't be any heroes, anymore. Mothers and fathers wouldn't take care of their children, anymore. There wouldn't be any more ministers. There wouldn't be any more dedicated teachers and doctors and nurses. There wouldn't be any Sunday School teachers or churches. If people only cared for people who loved and cared for them, there really wouldn't be much caring and loving at all. And what a tragedy that would be!

There is the story of how on May 21, 1946, Louis Slotin and several other men were carrying out a dangerous experiment near Los Alamos, New Mexico. They were working with pieces of plutonium, which becomes deathly radioactive when enough of it comes together. Accidentally the pieces were nudged a little too close, and a great upsurge of radioactivity filled the room. Slotin moved at once. With his bare hands he pulled apart the radioactive pieces, but in so doing he exposed himself to an over-whelming dosage of radiation. Several days later he died. But the other men recovered because Slotin had given of himself.

Louis Slotin gave up his life. But, who knows how much greater his reward was in heaven for what he did? As the scripture says, "Greater love has no man than he who would lay down his life for a friend." Certainly, there is a reward for those who have such love.

As members of this community, as we have read our scripture lessons, God reminds us of the importance of giving. We are also reminded that even in the midst of our giving God takes care of us. I'm reminded of another story about a little boy named Raymond who returned home from Sunday school in a very joyous mood. "O, mother," he exclaimed, "the teacher said something awfully nice about me in his prayer this morning!"

"How nice!" exclaimed the mother, "What did he say?"

And the little boy replied, "My teacher said, 'O Lord, we thank thee for our food and Raymond.'"

Indeed, God gives us our food and reiment, what we need to eat and what we wear. We owe God our first fruits, for God supplies our needs and everything we have.

We give. For as the scriptures say, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

I'm reminded of how a Milwaukee teacher took her first grade class to a dairy where a guide showed the children through the entire plant, explaining the whole process. When the tour was over, the guide asked if anyone had any questions. One little girl raised her hand.

"Did you notice," she asked, "that I've got on my new snow suit?"

So often our own response to God's invitation is so much like that little girl's self centered question. God offers us the riches of eternity, but instead we stumble and fall as we strive to hang on to our meagre, finite, treasures that are just shabby in comparison. If we would be willing let loose of those things we would know the generosity and the fullness of God's abundance reserved for the children of God.

Amen.