Today I am officiating my niece’s wedding, where Scott Stanick and Joni Hoag will be united as one in Jesus Christ. And though it’s long, read this thoughtful exposition that plays on this phrase from their vows.
“We most often hear this phrase, “for richer or for poorer” in wedding vows, but I believe this phrase may also be used to describe a core issue for us in regards to our giving. Let me explain.
I have observed over the years that one of the most compelling disincentives to people’s giving is a nagging sense of loss from what they give away. Many feel that if they give, they will become “poorer” in the same proportion as the recipient of their gift becomes “richer.”
In other words, “someone else’s gain is at my expense.” So, they think, “I need to evaluate how much I can afford to lose in my giving – how much poorer I am willing to become – in order to determine how much I am willing to give.”
May I suggest that this kind of thinking, common as it is, is the absolute opposite of what the Word of God teaches us about giving…
There is a repeated phrase in the New Testament that I believe most of us have not carefully considered. The phrase ”lay up treasure(s)” is used in Matthew 6:20, Luke 12:21, and 1 Timothy 6:19.
It is interesting that the Greek word for “lay up” is related to the root word for “treasure.” So, you could literally translate the phrase, “treasure up treasures.” We read, for example, in Matthew 6:20 that we are to be “lay(ing) up treasures in heaven.”
What seems to have escaped our notice is the two other words that are in the middle of this phrase – “for yourselves.” Jesus says, “lay up treasures for yourselves in heaven.” These treasures are not being laid up in heaven for God, or for the poor or for the lost. We are laying them up for ourselves.
We are not losing them, we are simply transferring readily liquid and immediately available assets into an account that is not immediately liquid nor readily available, but will be of great value to us in the future. And every gift (transfer) we make in this life is being credited to our account in heaven – every one of them, no matter how great or how small.
In 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Paul reiterates this same idea when he is writing to Timothy about the affluent Christians under his spiritual care… These affluent Christians are not being commanded to divest themselves of their material treasures, they are being commanded to lay up their treasures for themselves – for later enjoyment – “for the coming age” – an eternal retirement plan or equity position…
Do you see yourself as being poorer after you write the check or make the gift? Do you feel like you have lost and someone else has gained? Do you sense that you are worse off than you were before you gave? Perish the thought! You are richer! You have just laid up for yourself more treasures in heaven.
You are now more blessed and your future more secure than before. You have willingly transferred some readily available, immediately liquid assets to another account that will be waiting for you when you finally “retire” from this life and move on to the next one – the best one. And in that day you will be glad you invested so generously with a long view of life and eternity.”
Jay Link in “For Richer or For Poorer” blog post dated 2 December 2010.
So next time you attend a wedding and hear this phrase “for richer or for poorer” remember the profound truth that in the economy of God, we don’t become poorer but richer when we give.