Giving Tuesday

Perhaps in a reaction to the consumerism driven by Black Friday and Cyber Monday, GivingTuesday was started in 2012. GivingTuesday is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving that encourages people to simply do good. GivingTuesday's website says that it has "grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity." This year GivingTuesday is on November 28th.

Giving and generosity are great things to aspire to! The Bible teaches that giving and generosity are actions borne of a grateful heart to the Lord, the giver of all good things. Of course, like Thanksgiving, these things should happen everyday, not just once a year. Everyday we should think about how we can give of our time, our efforts, and/or our resources to those whom God has placed in our lives, to those in need, and to the work of the Lord. Giving and generosity are biblical signs of good, godly stewardship. The Apostle Paul said in Acts 20:35, "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" In Proverbs 11:25, it says, "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." Blessing and refreshment are something we all desire. But it's interesting that in God's economy, these things come to those who give and know generosity.

Coming off of the Thanksgiving holiday, I just want to encourage you and me to learn to give and to be generous. If using GivingTuesday, November 28th, as motivation helps, consider taking action that day. In a practical sense, that could mean thinking outside of ourselves by helping someone less fortunate, making a donation to a worthwhile cause, and/or making a gift to the church. God loves such joy-motivated giving because it expresses contentment in His generous gift to us.

God bless,

Pastor Darren