Healing Rays of Righteousness

Excell in Generous Giving with JOY

Twenty-one years ago, July 16, 2002, Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan was testifying before a U.S. Senate committee and said, “It is not that humans have become any more greedy than in generations past. It is that the avenues to express greed have grown so enormously.”

That was twenty-one years ago, July 16, 2002, and since then “the avenues to express greed” have grown even more rapidly.

Because our society constantly entices us with its preoccupation with “getting,” we often fail to hear God’s invitation to experience the freeing truth of “giving.” The apostle Paul urges us to remember, in everything we do, the words of Jesus; “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35).

And when he felt the Christians at Corinth were becoming less enthusiastic about giving an offering to help the impoverished Christians in Jerusalem, he reminded them of the example set by their fellow believers in Macedonia; “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. … Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people.”

And then he challenges them; “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 8:2-7).

Paul also believed that joy-filled giving should be based on the self-giving example of Christ. “Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (v. 9).

Furthermore, Paul says, the Macedonian Christians had taken Christ’s model, and in total disregard for their present needs or future requirements, they gave “beyond their ability.”  Theirs was a sacrificial offering that was voluntarily and joyfully given, and it became an inspiration for Christians everywhere.

And finally, Paul tells us that joy-filled giving flows from the gift of self. His statement that they “first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (v. 5) gives us the clue to their generosity. There is a sense in which the only thing I can really give to God is myself, and this is the gift that needs to come first. Those who give their money but not their hearts have made a lesser gift.

The story is told of a missionary who was witnessing to the chief of a very primitive Indian tribe. In response the chief tried to impress the missionary with gifts of horses, blankets, and jewelry. But the missionary said, “My God does not want the chief’s horses or blankets or jewelry. My God wants the chief himself.” Then the chief smiled and said, “You have a very wise God, for when I give him myself he also gets horses and blankets and jewelry.”    

Amazingly, the chief had a better understanding of total life commitment than many who call themselves “Christian” do today.

Along with the Corinthian Christians, we, too, are called upon to share out of the abundance that we have received. It is not enough in God’s eyes that we excel in faith, speech, knowledge, enthusiasm, and in love for others apart from joy-filled giving. This is a stern challenge to us in a world obsessed with “getting” for myself all that I can.

With God-given wisdom, Solomon wrote, “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:24-25 (NLT).

I wonder whether the apostle Paul, if he were writing to our church today, would say, “Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in knowledge and wisdom, in teaching, in music, in fellowship, in a commitment to justice—so I want you to also excel in generous giving with joy.”

Jesus gave up everything, even life, to redeem us. And in doing so, he has set us free to respond with the same sacrificial love in sharing with the less fortunate. By this, we show and confirm the depth and genuineness of our love for Christ and others. May we daily stretch for this JOY.

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – August 25, 2023

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley

Bridges of Two-Way Forgiveness

John MacArthur, a popular religious writer of the recent past wrote, “We live obviously in a society that knows little about forgiveness. We live in a society that cares little about forgiveness. In fact, I would think that one of the major contributors if not the major contributor to the destruction of relationships in our culture is the absence of forgiveness.”

In last week’s blog, I urged us to build bridges of acceptance and reconciliation rather than fences, separating ourselves from others with whom we disagree or do not like. Such bridges are never easy to build and must be built with the right kind of lumber.

It is biblical to think of the bridge’s beams and flooring being “forgiveness” wood. This is the same sturdy, enduring wood that built the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Hanging on that cross and with the words, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” Jesus built an amazing bridge of grace and forgiveness, because he loved us and wanted to reconcile us to himself.

We see in Jesus’ crucifixion how building a “forgiveness bridge” to another can be very painful and sacrificial. But we also know from Jesus’ life and teaching that it is the only bridge that can adequately cross the divide and make possible a reconciliation between us and others.

Building a “forgiveness bridge” may appear too difficult or impossible. But Corrie ten Boom offers a different perspective. She likens “forgiveness” to simply letting go of the bell rope.

Corrie ten Boom reminds us that if we ever have seen a country church with a bell in the steeple, we will remember that to get the bell ringing we need to tug awhile. Once the bell has begun to ring, we merely maintain the momentum by continuing to pull the rope. As long as we keep pulling, the bell keeps ringing. And likewise, it is with “forgiveness.”

Corrie says, “Forgiveness is letting go of the rope. It is just that simple. But, when you do so, the bell keeps ringing. Momentum is still at work. However, if you keep your hands off the rope, the bell will begin to slow and eventually stop. It is like that with forgiveness. When you decide to forgive, the old feelings of unforgiveness may continue to assert themselves. After all, they have lots of momentum. But if you affirm your decision to forgive, that unforgiving spirit will begin to slow and will eventually be still. Forgiveness is not something you feel, it is something you do. It is letting go of the rope of retribution.”

Most importantly, Jesus makes it clear that the “forgiveness bridge” we build to cross over, accepting and restoring relationship with the other, is the same bridge that he, Jesus, will cross over in returning to forgive and reconcile us to himself. Many Christians seem ignorant of this critical teaching from Jesus.

When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he included this phrase; “And forgive us our debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors (those who sin against us).”

Then Jesus adds this emphasis to the above request for forgiveness; “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” There is a loud “if” in his teaching.

And again, Jesus emphasizes this “if” in his answer to Peter’s question, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” After telling a parable about an unmerciful servant, Jesus concludes with his answer, This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:21-35).

There is no wiggle room in Jesus’ response to Peter’s question as Peter had hoped. Nor does Jesus limit the need to forgive only to those who commit unjust or violent (sinful) behavior toward us. Why? Because God regards all contentious, divisive arguments and behaviors as sinful. This is clearly heard in his several commands to love our neighbor as ourselves and to love and do good to our enemies?

This is how the apostle Paul understood Jesus’ teachings, as seen in his letter to the Ephesian Christians, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32). And to the Christians in Colosssae, “Bear with each other and forgive one another is any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13).

Because God created us uniquely different human beings, we are prone to disagree with the beliefs and/or behaviors of others. And our defensive arguments frequently cause us to build fences that divide and disassociate us from others, rather than build bridges of forgiveness, acceptance, and reconciliation. Why? What if Jesus treated us that way?

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – August 11, 2023

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley

Building Fences or Bridges

I am reminded of the young man who stopped at a farmhouse asking for work. The farmer asked of his occupation, which was carpentry. At first the farmer said he had no work. Then, pointing across the road to the neighboring farm, he said, “That is where my brother lives and we have become bitter enemies. He even took a bulldozer and cut a stream from the reservoir through the pasture between us. I will hire you to take that lumber by the barn and build an eight-foot-high solid fence between us, so that I do not need to be looking at him.”

The farmer went to town for the day, and the young man went to work. When the farmer returned, instead of a fence, he saw a beautiful bridge across the stream, with handrails and all. At first, he was angry, but then he saw his brother walking down the hill to the bridge with his arms outstretched. As he walked to meet him, his younger brother called out, “You are a special brother, to think that you would build a bridge so that we can get together!” As the carpenter was walking away, the farmer called, “Hey, where are you going?”  The man answered, “I’m going to build other bridges!”

Bridges open us up to inviting and strengthening relationships with others. Fences restrict, shut out, and weaken relationships with others. Bridges lead to new vistas, adventures, and unlimited possibilities. Fences isolate and protect stuff with non-disturbing sameness and limited possibilities.

Behavioral studies consistently show that much of human anxiety is caused by an egocentric, neurotic need to have others agree with us. These same studies also tell us that the dynamics of every healthy people grouping, whether it be church, community, or nation, includes lively disagreement.

Furthermore, to presume that others need us to correct them, but that we do not need them to correct us is to assign to ourselves an omniscience that belongs only to Almighty God. The “loyal opposition” is needed to keep us from getting too comfortable with our limiting, narrow, and selfishly blurred visions.

In his book, Life Together, the German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoffer writes about Christian community and warned that “He who can no longer listen to his brother will soon be no longer listening to God, either; he will be doing nothing but prattle in the presence of God too.”

I cannot understand how those who call themselves Christian can hold to a view of community that is more totalitarian than biblical, and fixes its eyes on another with a cold look and says, “If you do not agree with us, get out. Go somewhere else. You do not belong here.”

Such attitudes and actions toward those with whom we disagree never happened when Jesus walked this earth and neither should they happen in His Kingdom-oriented church on this earth. Did not Jesus say that the second greatest commandment is to “Love your neighbor as yourself”?

I urge us all, as the church of Jesus Christ, the family of God on this earth, to repent and seek to build bridges of loving acceptance and respectful listening in our walking together with all people. Let us build bridges, seeking common ground and guidance in making a better world for all its inhabitants.

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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – August 3, 2023

www.geigler13.wordpress.com

Ray M. Geigley