PREPARE THE WAY! Black Friday is Coming
The Friday after Thanksgiving kicks off Advent, and the Christmas shopping season. Lots of money will be spent on gifts that show our love and appreciation for those to whom we give gifts. But let’s admit it—our loved ones may not really need or want the actual gift we get them. Furthermore, let’s admit many of us are actually buying stuff for ourselves because we think we’re getting a deal of a life-time. On Black Friday, it seems our money is more powerful to buy more things. But let’s think twice before shopping, and let a dollar speak first through this writing from Ray Jones.
A Dollar Speaks
Money talks, we have been told since childhood. Listen to this dollar speak: “You hold me in your hand and call me yours. Yet may I not as well call you mine. See how easily I rule you? To gain me, you would all but die. I am invaluable as rain, essential as water. Without me, men and institutions would die. Yet I do not hold the power of life for them; I am futile without the stamp of your desire. I go nowhere unless you send me. I keep strange company. For me, men mock, love, and scorn character. Yet, I am appointed to the service of saints, to give education to the growing mind and food to the starving bodies of the poor. My power is terrific. Handle me carefully and wisely, lest you become my servant, rather than I yours.”
—Ray O. Jones[1]
The Power of Money THIS Advent
Consider putting your money to work in a more powerful way this season by giving gifts to missions in honor of beloved family and friends. Let them know you are content with what you have and would be just as happy if they support a mission in your honor. For instance, the most valuable gift I ever got was a Heifer Project water buffalo…a gift that keeps on giving! Our children’s ministries at First UMC support Heifer Project every year with hopes of buying a full “Ark.” There are many other worthy missions and causes as well.
Our conference has handed over financial support of all conference missions into the hands and hearts of each local congregation. However, how many of our churches and members know that? How many of us pastors and lay leaders remember? How many treasurers and finance chairs know but have shaken our heads at the fact that our hands are already too full of bills to pay?
There are so many missions out there hurting for lack of funding, coming up short of green, decked out in the color of red in all the wrong places. They need our generous gifts this Advent season.
Money can certainly be seen as powerful, especially as the root of so many evils…selfishness, pride, jealousy, greed, power over others. Money isn’t evil in and of itself though. It can also bring us great contentment and joy as we give and use it generously.
One of the practices of fruitful congregations according to Bishop Schnase is “Extravagant Generosity.” We can do amazing this through our extravagant generosity. But together as a church we can do even more. We support important missions, charities, and specialized ministries in their work with our money. We can send children to school across the world and feed the hungry with money. It’s easier to give when we remember WHOSE money it really is.
Correct answer: GOD
If it is God’s are we using it responsibly, and are we giving away enough of God’s money for God’s purposes?
John Wesley speaks on money: 
John Wesley, the founder of our “movement” urged the early Methodists to work hard and make all the money they could, set aside what they needed, but then to give the rest away! He felt that only in this way could they remain faithful and focused on God.
• When I have any money, I get rid of it as quickly as possible, lest it find a way into my heart.
—John Wesley. [2]
In many sermons and letters, our denomination’s founder wrote such advice as this:
I gain all I can (namely, by writing) without hurting either my soul or body.
I save all I can, not willingly wasting anything, not a sheet of paper, not a cup of water.
I do not lay out anything, not a shilling, unless as a sacrifice to God.
Yet by giving all I can, I am effectually secured from “laying up treasures upon earth.”
Yea, and I am secured from either desiring or endeavouring, it as long as I give all I can.[3]
How does he suggest we get rid of it? “Throw it into the sea?” some asked him with mocking scorn. Or do we build more barns to store it up as in Luke 12? Here is his answer.
God forbid that you should! …It may be employed much to the glory of God. Your way lies plain before your face; if you have courage, walk in it.
Having gained, in a right sense, all you can, and saved all you can; in spite of nature, and custom, and worldly prudence, give all you can. I do not say, “Be a good Jew, giving a tenth of all you possess.” I do not say, “Be a good Pharisee, giving a fifth of all your substance.” I dare not advise you to give half of what you have; no, nor three quarters; but all!
…If there be an overplus… “as you have opportunity, do good unto all men.” In so doing, you give all you can; nay, in a sound sense, all you have. For all that is laid out in this manner, is really given to God. You render unto God the things that are God’s, not only by what you give to the poor, but also by that which you expend in providing things needful for yourself and your household.[4]
Extravagant generosity can be learned if we open our hearts and hands to a spirit of sharing. In this season of Christmas shopping, consider how you give your money to bring joy and hope to the lost, least, and marginalized in our world. I challenge you to consider matching your Christmas gift spending with mission spending. For each dollar you spend on gifts, give to missions to let the dollar speak in the most powerful way.
Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : A treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers. Garland TX: Bible Communications.
