This week in Radial we’re wrestling through 1 Timothy 6:17 & 18, a passage purposed on rearranging the way we look at & lean on money. In our services we’re unraveling “three lies that help us horde” (which you can grab a listen to on our Radial Preachifications Podcast under the title “Schemers”). But the overall challenge this: God is calling us to be givers. He’s blessed us so we can bless others. But, like most things, it’s easy to fundamentally agree with the philosophy & never put it into practice. Here’s the deal though: What you do, more than what you know, reveals what you believe. Which begs the question: Where do I go from here? How do I make sure the beliefs I voice are echoed even louder in my behavior? Glad you asked. Here’s a few steps to get you going in the right direction:
- Start tithing. Which means: giving God the first 10% of anything He gives you (which is everything you have) through your local church. Even if all you got coming in is a $10-a-month iTunes allowance from mom & dad which is pretty much pre-dedicated to Justin Bieber downloads–give God a dollar first. I have never not tithed as an adult. You want to know why? Because I got in the habit when I was a kid. It stuck with me me, and my life is blessed because of it.
- Fast a financial addiction. All of us have certain ‘wants’ that frequently rise up to try & convince us they’re ‘needs’. Taking a break from whatever that thing is for you will help you force that ‘need’ to admit it’s really a ‘want’ in disguise. Whether it’s dropping coin for Starbucks or shoes, music or the movies, rerouting your cash & concentration away from those things & towards God for a short season will help you put your priorities back where they belong. I’ve found most of my addictions take about 40 days of new behavior to break the habit, but even a week will give you new perspective about the things you own & the things that have come to own you.
- Practice “Gorilla Giving”. Gorilla Warfare is a fighting style based on catching your enemy by surprise; striking hard, fast & unexpectedly. Please, don’t barbarian ax battle anyone out of the blue in the name of giving, but do look for creative ways to swoop in at random moments to practice generosity on unsuspecting people in need. Give a homeless guy a hot mean, buy someone’s movie ticket, get someone a gift they’ve been eying, leave a ridiculously large tip for an over-stressed server, buy a stranger’s Starbucks, tank of gas, or cart of groceries. The possibilities are endless. And, to be honest, the more sneakiness you inject into the whole experience, the bigger the adrenaline rush. But more important than that, Gorilla Giving trains your brain to constantly be on the lookout for how you could bless others (as oppose to just yourself).
- Scheme to give big to a big thing. We all naturally scheme to GET what we want, but God’s challenge is for us to invest that same high-powered scheming energy to GIVE what we want. Find a good cause that moves your heart & map out a master plan to throw money in that direction—whether it’s building wells in Africa, sponsoring orphans, feeding the hungry, sending Bibles overseas, supporting missionaries, funding cancer research, or sending kids to summer camp. But I will warn you–this will require you to rearrange your life a little bit. Because you can’t give something away without giving something up. But I guarantee you, in the long run, it’s worth it. Make a plan to give big to the big things you believe in & then follow through.
- Get some accountability. Find someone trustworthy to tell your giving goals to that will encourage you towards them & call you out when you’re tempted to wuss out what you’ve committed to do. What God has called you to do, you can’t do alone. And quite honestly, if you think you can, you’re not dreaming big enough. We all need those people in our lives who refuse to let us give up on WHAT God has called us to do & more importantly WHO He’s called us to be.
Let’ face it. Even Justin Beiber will never be as cool as a bull riding monkey
Nice article.
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