October 3, 2021
First Lesson Hebrews 2:5-8
5 Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. 6 But someone has testified somewhere,
“What are human beings that you are mindful of them,
or mortals, that you care for them?
7 You have made them for a little while lower than the angels;
you have crowned them with glory and honor,
8 subjecting all things under their feet.”
Second Lesson 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.
Do you remember the story of Mr. Twister? Back in September of 1995, right here is Santa Cruz, a local clown was caught putting money in the meter for people whose time had expired on their parking. Santa Cruz’s anonymous good Samaritan was feeding expired parking meters to keep motorists from getting ticketed. A city parking official saw him put a quarter in an expired meter in front of Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Co. on Pacific Avenue. Parking meters could not be fed without the vehicle owner’s permission by city law, and he was issued a $13 citation. Well, this did not go over well. The story was picked up by CNN. “It’s hard enough just to get people to tolerate one another,” said Mr. Twister, whose real name is Cory McDonald. “When you find someone doing something nice, you should support them. And when there are laws against this, it gets harder and harder.” Kids who turned out to support Mr. Twister agreed. “He gives money to people,” said one. “He’s a nice guy. He doesn’t just annoy you.” Reminded that he’s too young to drive, the boy said, “but I will eventually.” And when he does, he hopes Mr. Twister will fill his meters. News of the crestfallen clown spread internationally, and the City Council eventually rescinded the ticket and erased the law from the books. Mr. Twister was even given his own parking meter.
Mr. Twister chose to show kindness. He chose to be generous. How many of us have walked past an expired parking meter and not given it a second thought? It’s not my car, not my problem. But that same thinking can keep us from being generous. When we focus on ourselves, it is difficult to be generous. But when we contemplate God’s mercy and love then generosity flows.
Generosity is a choice.
Paul expresses it well in verse 7, “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Choice and cheerfulness are linked. If you choose to give, do so with a light heart and a positive disposition. Give with an attitude of gratitude. Give with a generous spirit.
“I remember a pastor saying, there are three kinds of giving. There is Grudge Giving, Duty Giving and “Thanks” Giving. Grudge giving gives but doesn’t really want to and feels forced into it either by peer pressure or by guilt. Duty giving gives simply because it knows it’s supposed to and is afraid of the consequences if it doesn’t. But thanks giving gives out of the spirit of love and thankfulness which grows out of a loving relationship with God” (sermons.com, Billy D. Strayhorn).
Last week we talked about prayer being love. Love also affects generosity. Generosity is one of the Fruits of the Spirt (Galatians 5:22-25). Let me read the quote concerning the Fruit of the Spirit. “Love is the key.
Joy is love singing.
Peace is love resting.
Patience is love enduring.
Kindness is love’s touch.
Generosity is love’s character.
Faithfulness is love’s habit.
Gentleness is love’s self-forgetfulness.
Self-control is love holding the reins” (Anonymous).
Generosity is love’s character. Our first lesson speaks of God’s generosity in God’s mindfulness and care of us as mere humans. God’s love opens the divine heart to us as God’s children and God’s generosity has crowned us with glory and honor. Gratitude flows from reflecting on God’s generous Spirit. Hebrews speaks to the generous nature of God and God’s abundant love for us. One that fosters generosity in us as well. We love because God first loved us.
This week you should have received the Stewardship letter as we kick off our Stewardship campaign for 2022. The theme is Generosity of the Spirit, I Choose to Open my Hands, Open my Heart, and Reflect on the Generosity of God. Mr. Twister chose to open his hands and his heart to help someone about to get a ticket. We are asking you to open your hands and hearts to give to Christ’s work in the world through the mission of St. Andrew Church. Please prayerfully consider your gift, mindful that generosity is love’s character.
After my divorce I took a half time position, so I was under employed with two boys to raise. Yet during that time I recall often saying, “We have enough.” I truly felt like God was providing, even though money was tight. I gave 10% of what I made to the church, and somehow we had enough. The idea of enough is very subjective, one that we chose to enter; much like gratitude. Paul writes, “And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.”
When we live in enough, live in gratitude, experience God’s love we are generous with our giving.
In A Second Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Rev. John R. Ramsey tells how in one church a certain person provided him with a rose boutonniere for the lapel of his suit every Sunday. At first he really appreciated it but then it sort of became routine. Then one Sunday it became very special.
As he was leaving the Sunday Service a young boy walked up to him and said, ‘Sir, what are you going to do with your flower?’ At first the preacher didn’t know what the boy was talking about. When it sank in, he pointed to the rose on his lapel and asked the boy, ‘Do you mean this?’
The boy said, ‘Yes, sir. If you’re just going to throw it away, I would like it.’
The preacher smiled and told him he could have the flower and then casually asked what he was going to do with it. The boy, who was probably no more than 10 years old, looked up at the preacher and said, ‘Sir, I’m going to give it to my granny. My mother and father divorced last year. I was living with my mother, but she married again, and wanted me to live with my father. I lived with him for a while, but he said I couldn’t stay, so he sent me to live with my grandmother. She is so good to me. She cooks for me and takes care of me. She has been so good to me that I wanted to give her that pretty flower for loving me.’
When the little boy finished, the preacher could hardly speak. His eyes filled with tears, and he knew he had been touched by God. He reached up and unpinned the rose. With the flower in his hand, he looked at the boy and said, ‘Son, that is the nicest thing that I’ve ever heard but you can’t have this flower because it’s not enough. If you’ll look in front of the church, you’ll see a big bouquet of flowers. Different families buy them for the Church each week. Please take those flowers to your granny because she deserves the very best.’
Then the boy made one last statement which Rev. Ramsey said he will always treasure. The boy said, ‘What a wonderful day! I asked for one flower but got a beautiful bouquet.’ (pp. 32-33)
That’s Generosity. That’s the attitude which should guide our giving. Like that boy’s granny, God has blessed us so much. God has been so good to us that giving shouldn’t even be a question. It should just flow from us naturally and generously.”
Today we are celebrating generosity, both God’s generosity toward us through the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and our generosity as we humbly, with love, say “Thank You” to God with the Generosity of our pledge cards. (sermons.com, Billy D. Strayhorn) Amen.
