Paul M. Gould: Be generous with your expertise

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.” Exodus 31:1-3

“God has called you to be a witness for Christ, bringing your expertise to bear on the needs of the world, pointing [those you work with] to Christ, and involving others in the only revolution that will truly transform a person and society, the revolution of the human heart brought by Jesus Christ.”

Paul M. Gould in The Outrageous Idea of the Missional Professor (Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2014) 9-10.

At the CBMC President’s Council Weekend that wraps up in Florida today (coastline pictured above), Jenni and I are encouraging attendees to be generous with their L.I.F.E. (Labor, Influence, Finances, and Expertise). Today’s post corresponds to “expertise.”

You and I are workers for God, just like Bezalel. God has filled us with His Spirit and given us expertise to use for His glory and to point others to Him. Often this form of generosity requires great effort but can impact everyone around us. What about you? How are you generous with your expertise?

Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it. 2 Corinthians 8:24

“It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving.”

Richard Braunstein in The Westminster Collection of Christian Quotations, edited by Martin H. Manser (Louisville: WJKP, 2001) 122.

While at the CBMC President’s Council Weekend, Jenni and I are encouraging attendees to be generous with their L.I.F.E. (Labor, Influence, Finances, and Expertise). Today’s post corresponds to “finances.”

The Apostle Paul urged the Corinthians to demonstrate “proof of their love” by giving. In plain terms, he said, “Put your money where your love is.” Braunstein captures the heart of Christian love: it must be coupled with giving.

But since you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you–see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2 Corinthians 8:7

“Christianity for the first time made charity a rudimentary virtue…Besides its general influence in stimulating the affections, it affected a complete revolution in this sphere…For the first time in the history of mankind, [Christianity] inspired many thousands of men and women, at the sacrifice of all worldly interests…to devote their entire lives to a single object of assuaging the sufferings of humanity.”

William Edward Hartpole Lecky (1838-1903) in History of European Morals from Augustine to Charlemagne, vol. 2 (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1913) 79, 85.

While at the CBMC President’s Council Weekend, Jenni and I are encouraging attendees to be generous with their L.I.F.E. (Labor, Influence, Finances, and Expertise). Today’s post corresponds to “influence.”

The generous influence of early church Christians rooted in grace was unlike anything humankind had ever seen. No other influence matches it today either. There is nothing more beautiful than charity, that is, undeserved kindness. I felt it today in real time.

A service that manages my website security, Sucuri, notified me this morning that it went down. Yikes! Though we played phone tag all day, as I was speaking or in meetings all day, they just got it back online tonight. I don’t think the evil one wants these messages to get out and get shared!

My aim in my teaching today was to celebrate the influence of four NT couples to inspire attendees to live likewise. In Lecky’s words, I hoped to affect “a complete revolution” in their thinking that inspires them to “the sacrifice of all worldly interests.” Based on their feedback, God is at work!

Father in heaven, help all who read this realize that the aim of Christian charity is not to solve the problems of the world, but to reflect your grace to humankind through our otherworldly influence. Make it so by your Holy Spirit I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23

“There is no division between spiritual work and secular work, as has so often been the case in Christian thought. This is true with what has been called “God’s work,” the work that is done by “men (or women) of God.” It is not true that the work that a minister does is exclusively “God’s work,” while the work that others do is “secular work.” A spiritual leaders work is of no greater value than the most common laborer’s menial task. Leaders fulfill the functions for which they have been gifted, but their labor is not of greater value than others.”

John D. Garr in Generosity: The Righteous Path to Divine Blessing (Atlanta: Golden Key Press, 2014) 114.

Over the next four days at the CBMC President’s Council Weekend, Jenni and I will encourage attendees to be generous with their L.I.F.E. (Labor, Influence, Finances, and Expertise). Today’s post corresponds to “labor.”

The Apostle Paul reminds us that our work matters to God because whatever we do, we do it for Him and not for human masters. As Garr rightly notes, the work spiritual leaders “is of no greater value than the most common laborer’s menial task.”

Labor generously at whatever you do today for God!

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Proverbs 3:27

“Generosity has to do with our capacity to get caught up in this flow of something bigger than ourselves, to imagine ourselves as a portal of divine abundance. Rightly understood, divine providence frees us from our illusions of control for the sake of God’s abundant charity. In so doing we may also invite others to participate in the unhindered flow of God’s goods.

The vision of generosity I am sketching here is not simply personal or private. What we need in today’s economy are examples of people carrying this trust in abundance, the flow of generosity, into their business practices. By that I do not mean simply that businesses should make large donations to worthy causes (though that’s not a bad thing); rather, I mean businesses should build the habits and practices of generosity into the process of producing and selling goods.

We need to be able to see, describe, and imagine doing business in such a way that we refuse to make profit our highest goal, thus focusing our work on the shared good that is produced both for the workers and the buyers. Generous business…refuses to create wealth for some at the expense of others but trusts that God has given enough abundance for everyone to have what they need. The job of generous business is to participate in that flow of abundance.”

Scott Bader-Saye in Following Jesus in a Culture of Fear: The Christian Practice of Everyday Life (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2007) 143.

Jenni and I fly to Florida today to speak multiple times at the CBMC President’s Council Weekend. Today’s post reflects the general impact I pray we have in the lives of the attendees: to inspire them to trust that God has given enough abundance for everyone to have what they need and to participate as portals in that flow of divine abundance through generous business. Make it so Lord Jesus!

This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23-24

“Wealth is no more a sign of the blessing of God than poverty is a sign of the curse of God. Money is no more a sign of the favor of God than a building is the sign of the presence of God. If we believe our wealth is a sign that God has blessed us, it’s probably time for our temple to be demolished…

Show me a person who is extravagantly generous and I will show you a person who knows the blessing of God. The blessing of God is not signified by what is received but by what is given away. It’s why some of the most generous people on the planet are the poorest.”

J.D. Walt in “Is it time for your temple to be demolished” Seedbed Daily Text for 10 October 2016. J.D. is a dear brother. I appreciate the wisdom in his Daily Text blog.

How often to we follow the cultural pattern of measuring God’s blessing in physical or monetary terms? Think about it. Big house, large salary, fancy car, nice clothes, and high net worth equal success in the eyes of the world, but not before God. God forgive us. We must demolish that kind of thinking altogether!

Extravagantly generous people serve as channels through which God’s material and spiritual blessings flow. Jenni and I are learning that the less we have, the easier it is to serve as conduits of God’s blessings. Having lots of stuff becomes a burden while living openhanded positions us to share God’s blessings.

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 1 Timothy 6:17-18

“Few people consider themselves “rich.” However, statistically, most of us in “developed” countries are “rich,” if we consider that at least 80% of humans live on less than $10 U.S./day. If we begin with this basis, then we are indeed “rich.” So what should we do about it?

1. Maintain a balance between thanksgiving and generosity. Enjoy God’s gifts of marriage and material blessings, while working out a budget to assist others to enjoy these too.

2. Be satisfied with the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter. Beware of simply wanting what others have or others expect you to have.

3. Work on getting your security from God, not wealth, and seek to please God in words and actions.”

Aída Besançon Spencer in 1 Timothy (New Covenant Commentary Series; Eugene: Cascade, 2013) 164.

After the exegesis of the text and an explanation that most of us are “rich” by global standards, Spencer includes this helpful list for teaching the “rich” how to live in obedience. Re-read the list and ask God to show you by the Holy Spirit where you may have room for growth, then consider this prayer today.

Father in heaven, cause our individual lives and our marriages to make Your love known through our budgeting, our contentment, and our generosity. May our words and actions show Your love and teach others how to live with hope and security peacefully rooted in You. Help us grow by Your Holy Spirit I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.