Passing the Plate

My neighbor stopped me to announce he’d taken up lawn care as a second job. He asked if I’d be interested in patronizing him. I’ve always taken care of our yard, without charge, but I know sometimes things happen on weekends, or I get rained out.

“How much would it cost?” I inquired.

“Probably about sixty dollars,” he said.

I was shocked. The last time I priced lawns was when I was 12 or 13 years old. I mowed three yards in the neighborhood. Mrs. Harris’s yard was $6, Mrs. Herron’s was $4, and Mrs. Wooten’s was $2.50. Of course, I do remember buying gasoline for the lawn mower at less than 25 cents per gallon, so things have changed.

Things have changed inside the stained-glass world, too. Putting one dollar or five dollars in the collection plate used to be substantial. And it probably is yet for a small child. But for most of us, not so much.

The ever-changing economy is why Paul’s counsel on giving in the New Testament is beneficial.

The apostle had the plan for what we’d call a “love offering” to help the mother church in Jerusalem. A recent famine left many in want, plus he wanted the Jerusalem church to know that the newer Gentile congregations loved them and appreciated their partnership in the gospel.

Paul gave instruction to the Greek churches to contribute every Sunday as God had blessed. The Amplified Bible renders this word, “On the first day of every week each one of you is to put something aside, in proportion to his prosperity . . .” (1 Corinthians 16:2).

In context, Paul’s instruction was about a special offering, but many believe it goes beyond the immediate context and teaches us how to give systematically; that is, we give regularly, and our giving grows as our income grows.

Evangelical churches I’m familiar with teach the biblical principle of the tithe as a good way to give systematically. Our gifts increase as our income increases and giving to God at the first of the month echoes the Old Testament instruction to give him the “first fruits”—the first and best of the harvest.

And our gifts may not be “in the plate” today. The offertory has a stellar history as part of our worship, but churches learned during Covid-19 both how to broadcast worship and how to give electronically.

In a world of online banking, it’s easy to give regularly to God’s work.

However we give, giving is important. It teaches us generosity over selfishness and is a significant way to honor God.

He has freely given to us, and we honor him in return with the best that we have. -30-

“Reflections” is a weekly faith column written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster, Alabama. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.