Good at Being Rich
Deep Thought: If I ever get really rich, I hope I’m not really mean to people like I am now.
I don’t know if I’d make a good rich person. Don’t get me wrong, I think I would be good at spending money. I think I would be pretty good at eating at nice restaurants and tipping extravagantly. (Dream scene: “Here you go, here you go, here you go…”) I know I would be good at traveling 1st class. Where I get doubtful of my rich aspirations is in my attitude of gratefulness.
This week as a church staff, we saw God come through in the form of money. We decided to step out and take a risk this summer in a couple of ways. For one, at our volunteer appreciation banquet, called Volupalooza, we gave all of our volunteers an iPod shuffle. The giveaway alone cost is in the neighborhood of $6,000. Right after that, the Rave e-mailed us and asked if we could pick up their sponsorship of the Free Family Film Festival, as their previous sponsor of this summer-long matinee for kids had dropped out at the last minute. Looking to always strengthen our relationship with the Rave, we picked up the cost of that $3,000 event. The 3rd big ticket item was the 1,000 Church at McGuire’s coozies we passed out at Crab Island on July 4th. All told, these events put us about $11,000 over budget for the month of July. Then two of the weeks of July, the contributions were way under budget. Such is summer time.
As a staff, we were praying because all that had to be paid today. God came through with $15,000 in the offering on Sunday, so we were able to pay our bills and stay on track. I just want to give God glory publicly and encourage you. Where do you need to trust God and allow Him to show Himself strong?
I might not make a good rich person now, but if God would like to train me, I would be willing to try.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
That’s awesome! There’s nothing quite like stepping out on faith, then seeing God back you up… giving you confirmation that it was the right thing to do.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
I’d like to be rich. It’s not that I like stuff all that much, though I’m as prone to stuff-lovin’ as much as the next person. I just don’t feel the need to get my status from my stuff or my wealth.
I’d like to be rich because I believe I’m blessed to be a blessing, and I’d like to have the resources to sow freely into the lives of others. I’d like to be an example of how limitless God is (in some other manner than forgiving sin, that is, because I’ve surely already proven THAT). Not having money is a sure way to make me think about me, but having it is a sure way to make me thing about others, because I am able to be others-centric without concern that I’m not caring well for my own household.
I believe God wants me to do some things that I currently don’t have the finances for, so I guess that’s my area of trusting Him for now.
August 4th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Yeah Jeremy it is. Has there ever been something you had to trust God about and seen hIm come through? I would love to hear about it/
Lisa, I would have to agree. The bible says that God gives us the power to get wealth in order to help establish His covenant. So the way I see it, the more generous we are, the more generous He is with us.