I once got into a debate with a person in the comment section of a video. They were arguing against giving a church or pastor money when they asked. They argued if a church needed Bibles or anything like that he would send them the items but he won’t send them money. I countered him with different arguments but couldn’t change his view.
In the end we decided to end the debate as neither one of us was getting through to the other.
I’ve thought about that conversation many times since. I get hung up on that debate due to a trend recently I’ve seen of people holding a similar view or even more harshly where they refuse to give anything to a church or pastor.
When the subject comes to my mind I try to think of more points I could have made.
But recently it hit me, I had been focusing so much on the debate that I didn’t think about the core issue.
Those people don’t trust their brothers and sisters in Christ.
They believe that the church and pastor will misuse the money given to them. They don’t trust that the Holy Spirit will guide them on how to use it.
And you know what? Even if they do misuse the money. God will see it. God will handle it in His way.
He also sees what’s in your heart. He knows why you may not be giving. But if the reason is you don’t trust your brothers and sisters in Christ than that’s a shame.
Let God guide you on how you give. Sometimes He may guide you to give more than you want, sometimes less than you think you should, maybe He will guide you not give it all.
But ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, not your own will but His.
This topic is bigger than just giving money.
We as a church lack trust in general.
We use “discernment” as a license to judge. Often leading to us hiding the Light of God from the World.
Look at the reaction many are having about Kanye West. They immediately threw him under the bus and refused to believe his story.
There has been much written about Mr. West and his conversion, I am not focusing on just one man.
I want the church to look at themselves. If your friend was a person who immersed himself in evil and then gave his life to Christ would you want him to be judged in the same way we do to celebrity converts or others you don’t know?
Jesus pointed out to us how easy it is to love our friends* but we are told by Him we must also love our enemies.
So when an enemy becomes a brother or sister in Christ shouldn’t you love them just the same as a friend of yours who becomes a brother or sister in Christ?
This isn’t a new problem. Read the Bible. The people around Job believed he must have sinned and that caused him to lose everything, people didn’t trust Paul’s conversion to Christianity either.
I am not going to lie, I’m very guilty of this myself. I judge people, Lord help me I do.
I know it’s easy when confronted about judging others to say, “The Bible tells me I must use discernment.”
However we must remember the difference between discernment and judgment.
Yes the Bible tells us to discern. We must look at a situation and use wisdom to understand if it goes with the Word of God.
But that doesn’t mean you go and point out the flaws of a person and tell them they’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing or that they’re lying or that they’re going to Hell. That is judgment.
Discern whether or not your using discernment.
I saw this quote on Facebook, “The only One who had the authority to cast a stone, didn’t”.
That is something we truly must remember.
Trust your brothers and sisters. Help them, be with them, love them. Because God loves them.
And He loves you.
Have a Blessed Week,
Chris.
Here is some scripture that relates to this week’s blog…
James 2:14-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it wasaccounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+2%3A14-26&version=NKJV
Luke 21:1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Widow’s Two Mites
21 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, 2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offeringsfor God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+21%3A1-4&version=NKJV
*Luke 6:32-36 New King James Version (NKJV)
32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+6%3A32-36&version=NKJV
The Good Word 