Heavenly Treasures

My pastor is Brian Hughes at Powhatan Community Church. Most of you know this. Martin and I are personal friends with Brian and his family. We have been in their small group for about a year and a half and have come to know them as more than "the pastor and his wife". We enjoy their company and have discussed many things with them as friends, not just "spiritual leaders". We have discussed money issues with them and in our small group. So, I know Brian's sermon today is not the easiest sermon he likes to do. In fact, he stresses a little about sermons on money.

I, on the other hand, like it when he talks about money and what we are SUPPOSE to do/or how to handle our money. It's a reminder to us. It is true, if we are not reminded (or if we don't remind ourselves) we can get caught up in paying the bills and taking care of family and "forget" about tithing or giving to others who don't have. I also like to compare our 'givings' with the last time he talked about money. I like to see if we improved and if not, to try to apply that lesson so we do improve.

When I first started going to church, I didn't give any money. None. Wasn't too sure about all of it. And PCC said "Do not feel like you have to give if you are visiting. But if you are a member, this is when you give". I remember thinking "How rude. You telling me if I am a member, this is when I give? Excuse me?" But that use to be me...the 'no one is telling ME what to do' attitude. Slowly, I let go and let God in. I still wasn't sure about the money thing. I would give a few bucks (if I had cash on me) when the basket came around. After some time, I would write a check for $30 or so. But when I got serious about it all, I started to tithe. Like the Bible tells us to. Now we (since I'm married and it's our money now) put it in the first of the month bills. That made it easier to do. There are times when writing that check and thinking about what amount to write is hard, I mean really hard. You start thinking about other activities that may come up that month, or if it's Christmas, you start thinking of other bills, or vacations...the list goes on and on. And we are SO NOT perfect at tithing. BUT we have gotten better. And no, we do not always tithe to PCC. AND THAT IS OK!!! Sometimes we give to St. Jude (and I pray we never have to use it), sometimes it is to people directly in our community who need help due to illness or house fire, etc. BUT, we always give most of our tithing to our church because we love what our church does and we want them to keep doing it...so they need to earn a paycheck. And they get that from us, the church's members. I also LOVE where we worship and all the other activities our church does in that building...so we need to keep it. That building makes it possible to have these activities and have a place to help others which is what as Christians we are suppose to do....and we have to pay for it. So we tithe.
Our church (as well as most) gives money to those in need. To families in our church that need help. To people across the globe most of us will never meet. To ministries our spiritual leaders believe need our support too. Yes, we do fundraisers and all, but I am assuming (because I do not 'do the books") that most of our church's money comes from members tithing.
So, add those bills up. And think, do I want to keep coming to PCC (or whatever church you attend)? Do I want to keep all the activities that we do going? Do I want the heat turned on/ or the air conditioner in the summer? Think of all that and think of what your church does for so many people that are looking for God or need help and God promised that he would take care of them (WE, God's people, are the ones that do the helping for others who need)....
Your money doesn't always have to go to the church, and Brian makes that pretty clear. But it needs to go somewhere. Somewhere it helps someone. Someone who really needs it.
Now, some of you may say "easy for you to say....you haven't had a failed business or had to declare bankruptcy or have more than 1 kid to pay for"...the list goes on and on and NO, I haven't and I don't. I know this economy is hard....I mean I have friends who have lost jobs, homes, spouses due to financial stress....the list goes on and on. All I can say to that is that God knows those troubles too and I am sure He understands why you may not be able to tithe completely right now....but you can give something. Any amount helps. And after a while you get use to it. You don't even miss it. And it becomes part of your routine.
It is my confession that I use to put my happiness in tangible things. If I wasn't happy, I would believe buying something or having something would make me happier. I could list them, but I admit, I am still embarrassed that I spent money on things I thought would make me happy.
Once we lost Robbie, it got worse. Let's just leave it at that. I still want to bury my head in the sand when I think about that time and my behavior. So wrong.
So, you live and learn. And I learned, the hard way, but that it how I learned. Now I know my favorite piece of jewelry will not go to heaven with me...my Tahoe (which I still admit, I love my car) will not be driving around the streets of heaven with me at the drivers seat....none of that goes. I'm still learning to stop and think "would this $50 I am about to drop be better used on someone who has no water, or food, or vaccine?" and the only answer is yes.
Martin and I support a boy named Carlos in Bolivia. He only costs us $38 a month. That's it...he is way cheaper than Chaytor (that's a joke)...but it's true!!! LOL. But that is it $38 a month. To feed him. To clothe him. To educate him. And it's worth it. My hope is that we can add another child to our "bills" sometime very soon in the future.
I hope you can too.