The Bible tells us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. How true this is. Yet we often struggle to give. We often want more for ourselves. We demand a bigger house and invest in more properties. We want a new car and more holidays. We want more savings and more investments as well. There’s no end to this. We just desire to have more and more.
In our mind, our wants have become our needs. We rationalize that we cannot live without those things. All thanks to the media and marketing strategies. Many things have become things we cannot live without today. Just take handphone for example, who would imagine that it would become something we are so addicted too. It has become something we must carry along wherever we go. To some, it is the first thing and last thing we see everyday.
I wonder if this trend also applies to church building. Churches today are spending more and more money to beautify their church buildings. Church is no longer a simple building. There are many different designs to attract people to come. It seems that we are trying to build King Solomon’s temple of yesterday. Though members can give generously, certain things may not be necessary. There may be much more we can do with those money.
The Lord was born in a manger. He shows us the house He choose to dwell. It was no longer the glamorous temple but just a small and humble manger. As such, we may need to evaluate what we are putting into the church building today. While it is good to give, it may be also appropriate for us to think for what cause are we giving.
For those who have not give much, let us learn to give more to God. Invest more in the kingdom of God rather than in the world. Make sure whatever we do have a value in the kingdom of God, don’t just keep more for ourselves. Not everything needs upgrade all the time. Don’t make our lives too enjoyable lest it become our comfort zone and we forget that we are not of this world.
For those who have been giving, make sure it is for a good cause. There are some places with too much resources and others with little. There’s a need to redistribute. Many a times, people just give to big names. Sometimes, people don’t even care about the false teachings are preaching. Just because they are great charismatic speakers, people give unreservingly but blindly. I call for discernment before we give. Make sure every cent counts in the kingdom of God. Don’t use it for satan or for the world.