Cap and Trade: All Increases Converted to Heavenly Riches

I was very challenged by something I read** on a flight to Cleveland this week. It was a biographical article about the generous life of John Wesley. I'm sure there are better biographies on him, but I recommend this article for its brevity and well-organized outline of some of the more notable aspects of his life (practice) and preaching on the subject of money and giving.

What blew me away was the degree to which he internalized things which Jesus and the Apostles taught. What is plainly seen in the Scriptures was so fully embraced by John, that it is rather shocking.

In summary, he got to a point where he committed to cap his spending at a fairly low level, and whatever extra came in after that, he would give it all away.

By why should I be shocked by his example? Is it because I feel the call to rise to a similar level of trust in God, expressed through generosity, but am as yet unwilling? Hmmm... Selah... Ouch.

In my work with high-net worth individuals, on behalf of an exceptional Christian ministry, I am privileged to know several individuals and families who have made similar commitments. I think of one young man who has great inherited wealth and has handed over control of around 80% of all that God has given him, putting it into a charitable trust that can only be used for gifting... and many similar stories of people who are indeed rising to a level like John Wesley.

Oh that I and many others would have faith like this. Lord Jesus, help (compel) us to live according to all the trust and joy you have in mind for us!

Other things that impacted me from Wesley's example (blog posts to come):

1) He was pro-business, arguing that to set up profitable endeavors was good stewardship.
2) He believed in giving during your lifetime, versus giving after you're gone. I'm not sure about this, seeing value in both. But I want to explore his thoughts more.

** This article is intended for the most mature of givers, what some call "Giving Champions." Do not be discouraged if the article seems, form your perspective, to be calling to a kind of giving/trust that you are not ready for. Instead, check out a great Web site (www.givingjourney.com) which is built around the idea that growing in generosity, like all spiritual growth, is a process, and there are stages. The creators of this site recognize four stages, and have created actionable suggested items for each stage, including things to read, and things to do. I highly recommend, no matter where you are in terms of being generous, that you click on one of the four stages:

1. Emerging Giver
   
2. Maturing Giver
3. Generous Giver
   
4. Giving Champion

I intend to share more on these stages soon...

Downsize for Christ's Sake

This article from The Gathering tells a story of a family that made an unusual, but very realistic decision to downsize their house, in order to give away 1/2 of their wealth.

I don't know this particular family, but I do know first hand more than one such family that has made the same decision. I'm compelled to consider it for myself.

By my rough calculation, if 1% of the population in America who made any charitable gift last year were to make this same decision to liquidate their main asset and give away half of their wealth, then the total* given by all US givers would increase by 2.5 X (250%) !

* Let me reiterate: Even if 99% of US givers kept their giving this year exactly the same as last year, the effect of the 1% going from normal giving to the "1/2 my wealth" standard would make the cumulative US giving go up by 2.5 times.

Okay, so you are thinking (and so am I) that it is just not going to happen that 3 million people (1% of our rounded US population) is going to follow suit...

But what about at a micro-level? What about your church family? Could 1% of the people you worship with take this step of faith? Could you? ... Could I?

C. S. Lewis on "How much to give"

Thanks to my buddy Chris for pointing out an interesting interview Moody Radio's Primetime America show last night that spoke of C. S. Lewis' own generosity, not only of giving to the poor, but also generosity with his time and skills. If you would like to hear the audio testimony from someone who knew him, click here, then scroll the counter to about 1 hour, 20 minutes into the program to hear the interview.

Here's the part I thought was most thought-provoking. Quoting Lewis:

I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words,' if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them.

This quote lifted from Mere Christianity (Chapter 3, paragraph seven), available for reading in-full online at www.philosophyforlife.com

~JH

Dinosaur and Cookie Generosity

Former readers will affirm that generally this blog concerns itself with 1) encouraging generosity, and 2) chronicling cute things my kids say and do... and infrequently both at the same time.

Today, however, I am proud and joyful as I share a lesson the kids learned last night about being generous:

Background: As we departed for a recent car-trip vacation, each child got to pick one thing to take on the trip for a bedtime buddy. Nathan choose a stuffed T-Rex and Elise choose, her Special Little Blankey. At one point late in the trip, Elise says to Nathan: "Can I please have your special dinosaur?"

Nathan: "No, honey."

Elise: "Pleeeease?"

-- Now at this point, I turned around and noticed Nathan was not even using the dino, so I said: "Nathan, I want to tell you something. You do not have to give your dinosaur to Elise... but I think it would be very generous if you would give it to her."

Nathan: "So you said 'I don't have to' so that mean it's okay if I don't give it to her."

Daddy: "You don't have to, but I want you to do it. Please do it for me, as a favor?"

Elise: "Pleeeeeeaasssse, Nay thin?!"

Nathan: (gripping the stuffed dino more tightly now) "No."

-- About this time we arrived at a restaurant and a rare thing happened: I had a rare moment of pure clarity and faith as I prayed God, while we are seated at dinner, please provide a remarkable opportunity to teach about generosity. The Lord answered that prayer...

Each of their meals came with an adult-sized chocolate chip cookie. God showed me this was the moment. I started to review what happened with the dino, and to help him understand that generosity is a good thing precisely because we "do not have to" give. Its the freedom of it that mirrors Christ's wonderful work of dying on the cross for our sins. I must say, to the Holy Spirit's credit, I was eloquent.

I began to come to my point, saying: "...Like that chocolate cookie you have there, I know you really want it. And you do not have to share it with anybody, but--"

Nathan then astounded me. He took his cookie, tore it right in half, and handed me one half. This is huge because if there is one thing that consistently causes him to have a total melt down it is even the suggestion that you want to share his dessert at any meal.

The real icing on the cake came later, when Elise, following suit, gave Becky her very last chip-filled bite of her cookie. Seeing this Nathan said "Good job, honey!"

Since this, Nathan has been very willing to be generous with his T-Rex, as seen below.

A Comment by Jesus on Giving

Good reminder as we head into this season:

In all things^(A) I have shown you that^(B) by working hard in this way we must^(C)(D) remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, help the weak and 'It is more blessed^(E) to give than to receive.' ~ Acts 20:35 (ESV)

I also like the way the paraphrase, "The Message" renders it:

I've never, as you so well know, had any taste for wealth or fashion. With these bare hands I took care of my own basic needs and those who worked with me. In everything I've done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them. You'll not likely go wrong here if you keep remembering that our Master said, 'You're far happier giving than getting.'"

Giving is a privledge

One verse of the Bible that seems to be a thought around which my life and calling centers is 2nd Corinthians, chapter 8, verse 3 and 4...

One has to read the whole chapter to get the context, but if you trust me then you will let me summarize the context: Paul is writing to people in Corinth about the extraordinary giving of the Macedonians, a peer group of Christians, with the intent of encouraging and stretching their generosity in giving.

... I guess I really connect with and am challenged by the quality of desire to be involved on the part of the Macedonians: "begging for the opportunity to take care of the needs of others" [my paraphrase].

There is much more to say on this, which I look forward to doing in later posts. But I'm also committed to making posts here brief.

I wanted this, my first, post on this blog to be core to what I believe I am called to be and promote:
an encouragement toward generosity.