Maybe this title could be applicable about snakes. You know, the super slithery ones that I just KNOW are life threatening when they come into sight, despite the fact that they are mere garden snakes who like to make a home in my Granny’s flowers. Or wait, there’s always those scary movies that are just creepy enough to make me cringe but not enough to make me scream. Ooooooh, or what about when I see blue lights come on behind me in the car? These all make me cringe, but even more so – asking people for money.
You see, I was raised to know that when you want something you work to get it. If you need money, you get a job. If you need more, you get another one. There was none of that “just ask around for money” business. Truth be told, I like that.
BUT…..
When pride rather than work ethic is keeping me from asking for what I need to do what God has called me to do, I am sinning. So, I have thrown pride aside (like Jesus says to) and put my big girl pants on. I have begun mailing out my support letters. That means in one little paragraph out of a whole letter I ask people to consider donating to my missions fund (i.e. asking for money). I hate hate HATE doing that. If you could just see how much I internally cringe at this, you would either: a) laugh or b) feel sorry for me. Probably “a” because it’s a ridiculous notion. (Sidenote: my support letter is a lot more than just asking for money. It’s an update on what’s going on, what I’ll be doing, and what I need to do it. I also ask for lots of prayer.)
I was told by a friend that I’ve been looking at this whole asking for financial support all wrong. I was told that when I ask someone to support me, I am giving them the opportunity to be a blessing and get a blessing. At first when I heard that I was thinking “I mean, sure that sounds nice but the reality is: I’m still just asking people for money they have worked hard for.”
BUT….
Then, I was reading in 2 Corinthians and Paul just rocked my world and put my pride to shame! In 2 Corinthians 9:10-12 Paul lays out how giving is ministry in and of itself. My calling is to the World Race to do ministry in 11 countries through various avenues: teaching, praising, prayer walking, Bible schools, physical labor to build homes or churches, feeding the hungry, and so on. That is my ministry. But to many people, God calls them to the ministry of giving. Whoa!
Now, for me to say I hate asking people to give so that I can proclaim the Gospel is like me saying I hate giving people a way to pursue their ministry (of giving). (Allow me to pull the dagger from my heart real quick.) *Gulp* It’s funny how different I think about things when I think of them from a Biblical perspective instead of a Mary Elizabeth perspective.
SO….
I am excited to send letters now and ask people to fulfill the ministry of giving while I fulfill the ministry of going. I love how 2 Corinthians 9:12 says:
“For the ministry of this service (giving) is not only supplying the needs (funds) of the saints (Believers AKA me, in this instance), but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving.”
Now let’s read on to 2 Corinthians 9:13 (eeeek – this just excites my soul!):
“They will glorify God for your obedience to the confession of the Gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with others through the proof provided by this service (giving).”
Amen, Paul! Amen. Through YOUR generosity I will be able to go out to the nations and tribes and proclaim the name of Jesus. I will be able to share with them the Gospel. I will be able to bring hope to the hopeless, healing to the hurting, light to those in darkness, forgiveness to the broken, and a Savior to the lost. Because of YOU. Because of YOUR obedience to a calling to the ministry of giving.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that God has asked you to sell all of your possessions and single-handedly provide the $16,000+ I need to go on the World Race. (Although, if you just really want to, I wouldn’t mind. Haha!) I know a lot of us are working for a living, not for a living of pure luxury. That’s how the Macedonians were in 2 Corinthians 8:1-7. They didn’t have much money, but they insisted on participating in the ministry of giving. Maybe for you that looks like the $5.00 this week you would otherwise buy a couple sodas with. Maybe that is the extra $10.00 this month you have sitting in your wallet. Maybe it’s a fraction of the money you’ve had sitting in a savings account for years now. Whatever it is, I would love to ask you to join the ministry of giving by supporting me on the World Race.
It’s not about me. (Trust me, if it were I wouldn’t have the boldness to even ask this of you.) It’s about God. It’s about Jesus. It’s about the souls that God is sending me to in Europe, Africa, and Asia that are longing for a Savior. It’s about telling lost people about a living God. It’s about love.
2 Corinithians 9:14 goes on to say:
“And they will have deep affection for you in their prayers on your behalf because of the surpassing grace of God in you.”
Generous giving shows the grace of God in a tangible, physical way. Any and all gifts to my support account having me singing praises of thanksgiving to God. Just as Paul says, I do pray over each and every one of you for your gifts with “deep affection,” which I like to call a mixture overwhelming thankfulness and pure love.
On an ending note, I’d just like to go ahead and end with 2 Corinthians 9:15:
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”
