Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
“Giving doesn’t just happen. Most of us don’t give as much as we should because we don’t plan our giving. You may need to make some financial decisions in order to have the freedom to give more. You may need to reduce your debt load or opt for a simpler lifestyle. You might need a budget. It will certainly mean having a priority list, planning and keeping records. Remember you are handling God’s money.”
Dan Busby (1941-2022) in Giving from the Heart: A Legacy that Last Forever (Winchester: ECFA, 2008) 3.
I have returned safely home from facilitating the memorial service for Dan Busby in New York. So, when I thought about my daily office today, I was reminded to go back to this little book he wrote.
It provides wonderful insights on giving. This one is key for every steward to remember: “giving doesn’t just happen.” We must plan for it. It requires diligent decision making.
The Apostle Paul gave the same instructions on giving to the church in Corinth as he gave to the churches of Galatia. He wanted each person to set aside a portion of their income for giving.
That means we must follow suit. Let’s opt for the simpler lifestyle, set aside funds for giving every week or month, and see what God does. We have found he often grows our income.
This positions us to live and give more generously. Thanks God for Dan’s example of modeling this and inspiring so many people to diligently and thoughtfully steward Your resources. Help us follow His legacy. Amen.