Day 295, or October the 22nd. Giving is enjoyable.
Our thoughts today come from Luke chapter 19,
verse 8. But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the
Lord, Look, Lord, here and now I give half of
my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated
anybody out of anything, I will pay back four
times the amount. Now the big picture surrounding
this verse. Our passage today takes us right
into the final week of the life of Jesus. Many
traditions call this Passion Week, and it is
filled with drama and tension, even though we
know what happens in the end. I remember teaching
in the Ukraine shortly after the breakup of the
Soviet Union, and meeting people there who didn't
know the final outcome. What a thrill to tell
them, and for them to hear for the very first
time. Being in the south where the religious
authorities held sway, Luke relates a number
of encounters that Jesus has with them. Luke
faithfully records the triumphal entry of Jesus
as he enters the city fulfilling the prophecy
of Zechariah. This is one of the few events which
is covered by all four gospel writers, so it
is obviously important. And now our action step
for today. Luke is the only one to tell us of
Jesus' meeting with that infamous little man
Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector. It's significant
that Zacchaeus' response to the good news is
a beaming, how much can I give? Sadly, too many
folk today ask, how little do I need to give?
Churches and Christian organisations are constantly
seeking funds to enable them to play their part
in the kingdom. This is only possible if those
whom God has chosen to be generous with their
wealth will respond in a like manner and do their
part for the kingdom of God. We expect preachers,
teachers, and evangelists to be enthusiastic.
At least I do. So should givers and financial
supporters of God's work. Remember, God loves
a cheerful giver, and in my experience, when
we give cheerfully, we get so much satisfaction
out of it that we wonder why we don't do it more
often. Try it and see.