But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 1 Chronicles 29:14
In an odd twist of recent events, my daughter has been working across the hall from me in clinic. It’s been a lot of fun for me to have her there, and she seems to enjoy having access to my office for her lunch breaks. On one such lunch break recently, she ran to the local Kwik Trip for some chicken strips, bringing back enough for both of us. She’s an adult, with her own bank account, but since I was benefitting from the endeavor, I told her to use my credit card to pay. When she got back, I thanked her for lunch, but she pointed out that she technically didn’t buy our lunch – I did. Though she was the one who went to the gas station and though she paid the attendant, she did it with money that I allowed her to use. Had she gone out and used my money to buy only enough for herself, without giving any back to me, I’d have been hurt. As it happened, she brought back more than enough, and we both benefitted from the arrangement, having a great lunch together.
This is a pretty good analogy for God’s intended financial relationship with his people, as illustrated in today’s passage. In the story, King David prepared for the constructing of God’s temple, which his son Solomon was going to build. It was going to be an extravagant structure, one fit for God. This would require tremendous resources and so, David turned to the people, who gave generously of their own wealth for the project. Reflecting upon his people’s generosity, David pointed out that everything they had, came from God and so, they were simply given back to him from what he’d already given to them. This was an appropriate perspective and God was pleased.
It should be the same with us. As God has given us much, we should share from that which he’s given us. When we refuse to give back, keeping everything for ourselves, we act as if that money were ours. I made this. It is God though, who has created us and given us our abilities and so, everything we have ultimately comes from him. When we give, we’re simply giving out of that which he has allowed us to use. Whether it’s a charity, a church, or a neighbor in need, there are innumerable ways to use our money to do God’s work. It is, after all, his money in the first place.