The Art of Generosity

“Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Matthew 6:1-4

After Jesus teaches His disciples about anger, lust, adultery, divorce, lying, and hatred, He moves on to another meddlesome topic– money.

Did you hear about the hundred dollar bill and the dollar talking in the man’s wallet? The dollar asked the hundred, “What have you been up to lately?”

The hundred exuded, “Oh, I jetted to Europe, spent two weeks on the French Mediterranean coast. In Paris I bought a fine meal with wine, took in a show in London, then back to Chicago where I bought two tickets to see the Bulls. So, Dollar, where have you been lately?”

“Oh, the same old same old,” the dollar bill sighed. “I’ve been to church week after week.”

Money talks. And it sure talks when it goes to church. In the text Jesus explains.

In verse one, Christ talks about “practicing your piety.” This has to do with religious observances, Christian disciplines. And Jesus says, “Beware!” Be careful. It’s easy to become a “hypocrite” (verse 2). In the Greek, a “hypocrite” is an actor. They look genuine, but are really not. It is a show, a fake, pretend. And such empty piety, devoid of real worship, is the peril of all Christian people.

“Beware,” Jesus said.

“When you give alms… ,” Jesus said. Not “if you give,” but “when you give… .” It is expected that Christians will give. The word “alms” means financial acts of charity, of love.

When my son was in the first grade his class was making valentines. They made one for each student, for the teacher, even for the headmaster. Then someone suggested they make one for God. So they did. “But how will we deliver it?” Someone mused. To which my son said, “That’s easy! We’ll just put it in the offering plate!” Our money can talk to God. It can be an act of worship when offered. It can whisper, “I love you. I believe in your kingdom. I want to be a part of your labors locally, in missions.”

Alms-giving not only speaks to God in worship, it also has something to say to people! Standing in line to get a prescription filled at a pharmacy, I noticed a poor looking farm lady and her son in front of me. The boy had a rash, a particularly itchy case of poison ivy. While he literally writhed in scratching, his mother presented the doctor’s papers to the clerk. The order was filled and the bill presented. The mother looked at the price, examined the contents of her slim purse, shook her head wearily, and turned away with her unsoothed child. That’s when another person in line stepped forward. “I’ll purchase that lotion,” she said. “Here, madam. This is a gift for your fine son. Be well.” And she quickly walked away without even giving her name.

Giving alms to people speaks volumes. It says, “I love what God made in you. I care for your well-being.”

The Scriptures warn us not to seek “refuge in … wealth” (Psalm 52:7). It chides us saying, “You have given no water to the weary to drink and you have withheld bread from the hungry.” (Job 22:7). Thus God judges us saying, “In the fullness of His sufficiency He will be in straits.” (Job 20:22).

During the California gold rush of 1849 a steamboat loaded with miners struck a log in the river and quickly began to sink. Some men found safety in life boats. Others stripped themselves of their heavy clothing, dived into the river and swam for the shore. However, one of the miners lingered aboard the doomed vessel looting the other miner’s trunks. Having filled his pockets with gold, he leaped into the water and began frantically trying to swim for the shore. The weight in his pockets pulled him silently to a watery grave. Greed blinded him. He forgot money is only a tool. If you cling to it, money will pull you down.

Write this down and stick it in your hatband. We make a living by what we earn. But we make a life by what we give.

The Reverend Stephen Crotts is the director of the Carolina Study Center, Inc., a campus ministry, located in Chapel Hill, NC. Pastor Crotts may be reached at carolinastudycenter@msn.com.