Good Living (Part 2)
The happiest people I know are generous. They care more for people than for things. They are thankful to God for what they have, and they trust that God will continue to provide for them. They believe that God’s word is life-giving and life-guiding. They direct their giving, their spending, and their saving in ways that honor God and serve others.
And they live very differently than the characters who want something from Jesus in Mark 10. The wealthy man seeks “eternal life,” and when Jesus tells him how to get there, he turns away because he considers the cost too high. James and John think that proximity to Jesus will insulate them from suffering, when it may instead cost them everything.
We celebrated Reformation Sunday October 27th, which was prompted in part by the church’s spiritual manipulation over money more than 500 years ago.
How do we turn these negative examples in a positive direction and live faithfully, generously, and perhaps happily?
Martin Luther and the reformers were right in asserting that money given to the church cannot secure salvation for oneself or loved ones. We can’t pay for what Jesus has given to us. And when we really believe that, we will also not look to money as the means to securing a good life for ourselves, whether by the things we buy or the amounts we hold onto. Generous giving is an antidote to being spiritually manipulated, whether by ourselves or others.
Jesus told the rich man to give away everything he had because Jesus knew that for this man, his wealth kept him from putting God first. Generous giving is an antidote to idolatry, to putting anything ahead of God.
Jesus told James and John that the greatest impact comes from serving others, even at high personal cost. Generous giving is an antidote to an isolated, shallow life.
Each of us should receive a letter this week from Alpine’s Stewardship and Finance committee. It asks us to reflect and respond in making a commitment to faithful, generous, good, and happy giving in 2025 on Sunday, November 10th. Thank you for sharing in this ministry.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Don