Generosity and Inequity

Do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward your needy neighbor (Deuteronomy 15:7b).

Several years ago my wife and I entered the shop of our neighborhood vacuum cleaner dealer/repair shop. After the cheery greetings we presented him with our latest project which needed a bit of his expertise. It was a well dated machine which had received some abuse; children of our church's Syrian refugee family trying to 'help around the house.' He responded with no hesitation. “I fix it for free.” His response to our grateful surprise was like this. “Oh I must do it. This is time to give Zakat [alms], and I do it if I want to enter heaven.” His cheerful friendly smile clearly confirmed his intentions. Hmm, this was just a bit more than what we had been thinking at that particular moment. Needless to say, we accepted his charity and it is now a part of our ongoing neighborly relationship with him. My fascination with this continuing friendship is that it seems to include an understanding that charity works best if we work at it together. There's a satisfaction in supporting this local businessman.

This last Sunday we had a Sunday School lesson in our church entitled, “Keeping Up with God’s Generosity.” It is based on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, including the famous catchphrase quoted almost universally, “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7b). I cannot but think of the truthfulness of this lesson, nicely perched at the end of a series “Disciples and Stewards” (MennoMedia.org/SL). I especially appreciate this series coming along after that nice experience with our Muslim neighbor. The very good title gives pause for thinking way way way beyond some thoughts we might have about how much of our hard-earned salaries and pension benefits should we be giving to church these days! Stewardship is a subject no longer contained within the narrow confines of me and my little budget. It is about me in all the world which I am a part of and which is all around me. Yes, all the world!

Both the Qur'an and the Bible’s Old Testament teach the importance of the ‘collection’ or gathering of funds for the needy, not as an occasion of patronage, but of tithing. Patronage was the Greco-Roman way; it maintained the power and prestige of the patron through giving of gifts, granting prestige (nowadays often advertised as sponsors) to the patron and of course material assistance to the needy one. Tithing, on other hand, was more a matter of redistribution of that which belongs to Allah – to God. Within Islam it is mandatory, the third pillar of their faith requirements (obviously why our Muslim friend put it his way). Within Christianity it is not exactly a legalism, but in fact a moral responsibility of anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus the Christ. I love the way it’s put in the Bible, “ ¹³Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. ¹⁴ At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, ¹⁵ as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little” (2 Cor.8:13-15). Stewardship, almsgiving, tithing, potlatches, whatever we may call it in different faith traditions, in my mind is best understood as a sharing or redistribution of wealth, rather than merely helping the poor. As a Christian of the socialist persuasion I find this to be a consistent way of life for people of faith. See also Acts 2:44-45.

The topic of stewardship, although well endowed with many points of view and political persuasions and denominational variations including professional consultants, may not be quite as daunting as often appears. The included subjects of charities and generosity, of socioeconomic realities and humanitarianism become considerably easier if taken from the vantage of God being the owner. It all belongs to our Creator God and it most certainly is not a matter of us Christians being the fixer-uppers. It's a matter of participating with all of God's creation including the Indigenous peoples. Koodos to many Christian churches who have begun the practice of beginning worship services with a land acknowledgment. 

During these last two years it has been my privilege to participate as an Interfaith representative in our Calgary Interfaith Council. While the tasks and challenges of an interfaith organization may seem monumental and facilitated by very skilled and educated persons, I also note that the stress level there seems less than within administration and leadership responsibilities of my Christian denomination, and those perhaps even less than the details and constraints within local congregations. Speaking to representatives from within other faith communities, lo and behold, that apparently also true there! Strange camaraderie and information often gained when hobnobbing with others! The devil is in the details, so I once heard. Also among Christians is a similar saying, "It's hardest to show Jesus' love to those who are closest." [One little proviso here which can be understood as an exception or confirmation of the above. A recent 'neighborly' Interfaith project included collecting and sharing fast food "Gift Cards" with the homeless. This well-intentioned 'collect' yielded many gift cards and they are oh-so convenient for both the giver and the receiver! This can become kind of a mechanical encounter 'with the least of these' (hello, thank you, good-bye), or it may provide excellent occasional opportunities to hear the story of others within our communities. See one of my last year's blogs, "Hey What's Your Name," April 15, 2021]

Oft-times the things which seem most overwhelming from local perspective (like how are we going to make budget in this post-corona season? or how get people to serve on committees? etc.) actually are probably less daunting if looked at from farther out. In other words it's a good idea to ask the occasional question, what is it we're stressing about? 😏 So on stewardship topic, why not look at it as God's generosity, ever present, in season and out of season, and yes available to all and that means all faith communities. 

From this larger vantage I see the tithes and offerings that I contribute in my local church as a part of my relationship with the neighbor next door, whom I know to also be within God's creation. That in turn provides opportunity to be recipient of the neighbors' charity to me, which in turn contributes to our learnings of a great big wonderful God, possibly even sharing in the experience of our God. Within God’s world we are privileged to be givers and receivers.

In the beginning God…(Genesis 1:1) …and… I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13).