Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out
all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the
money changers and the benches of those selling doves (Matthew 21:12).
Recreation and Sports and Charity and Fundraisers are being rolled into one ball of wax. As indicated in previous post, I have a little more to say on the topic of charity and love. By now I am aware it may just be a little more of same, raising a few hackles even, so why bother? Why? Because I trust my readers to come along a bit more. With modified ambition here goes, some observations out of an ordinary routine activity - and then - a little more.
Last
evening, watching a hockey game on my television I get hit three times. The
phone rings; the solicitor knows my name, speaks to me as though we are old
friends, and then I notice she’s reading from a script, collecting money for a
very noble cause helping to feed children going to school hungry, not in Africa
or Asia, but in this good country of Canada, coast to coast. Nobody is spared.
“Could I donate $500.00 or perhaps 300 or $250.00?” I respond with my
perspective, namely that I am aware of the challenge she speaks of, member of a
church which is connected to a worldwide service agency, quite concerned also about
children in Gaza right now not only hungry but also victimized by war, and I
participate in community interfaith charity, also personally know a few refugee
families who occasionally need emergency help. “$100.00? Every bit helps.”
Perhaps she was not listening to me. I explain a little more clearly she’s
talking to the wrong guy. It’s more than just your phone call. Then she ‘gets
it’ and thanks me for my time.
At intermission Gene Principe the Oilers' Sportsnet reporter explains the
50-50 pot of $1,400,000 (something like that) going to Edmonton Community
Foundation. He interviews gently a mother and daughter who are benefiting from
this wonderful charity. Quite touching, and I like 50-50’s, used to buy tickets
in small-town Saskatchewan hockey games. Maybe one of these
days, 😯 but then I
remember I cannot even afford a cheap seat ticket to a game anymore.
Then to add insult to injury, once-upon-a-time world’s best hockey player–become-gambler Wayne Gretzky appears in a commercial for Bet99, and almost on cue there's Connor McDavid and Austin Matthews, showing their high-priced faces in support of the American BetMGM to get a foothold in Canada. The Montreal Gazette recently had a feature article “Sports Betting tarnishes the Integrity of Every League.”[i] I agree with this article.
So
this is kind of spectatorly - me in front of my boob tube and not every detail
fact checked! I am a hockey
enthusiast probably thanks to all the stickhandling back there on the Saskatchewan farmyard
outdoor hockey rink. Ever still loving the game, I am however no longer a fan of current trends in professional
hockey. So here I go, this waxball of money, maybe charity,
and hopefully not too far afield of the love of God. In the previous
post I made a distinction between that love and charity. Love of God is huge, so huge that it
cannot be fully encapsulated by us, because its source is beyond, deep in the
heart of our Creator, the one who so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (John 3:16), the
very One whom we celebrate and give thanks for in Holy Week.
This love of God is larger than charities, the things we try to do, and most certainly not only the christian thing to do. Charity, community service, and good works are required "things to do" by people of many faiths and traditions. As a Christian (born-again even) I am becoming convinced this love is larger than the tithes and offerings we give in our Christian churches, larger than all we try to do or understand "beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell" (a favorite hymn from an old hymnal).[ii] The positive of this large love inclusive charity is that it can get multiplied (50/50?) and good things are accomplished even if people do it for differing faith or non-faith reasons. The negative is that we Christians begin to slip into calculation mode, being very careful stewards because after all it's the responsibility of everyone in this world (gotta get the total picture)! And so we become cautious, with attention going to charitable status of the receiver, etc. etc. We check with financial advisors rather than our hearts. And yes, those irritating solicitors will probably keep on calling. 😔
The last several years have provided much challenge not only for churches and faith-based organizations, but everyone in our communities. With the steady influx of refugees, a new reality is upon us. Many churches in the last half-century took pride in 'missions giving.' Missionaries would return on furlough from Africa or Asia to tell us of challenges, opportunities and blessings 'over there,' and wealthy church goers would feel good filling the offering plate for 'foreign missions.' Today foreign missions is different. It's no longer out there. It now means getting to know the families in multiple housing complexes in our cities including the challenge of new style of communication in brand new family systems. It may mean an occasional Christian father who needs to pay a visit to his other wife and family back there, while this wife deals with their teenagers' activities and gangs and other things in this city! It's not just about finding a nice church home for our new immigrant friends here. I'm guessing missionaries often chose not to tell us about these cultural stretches because it might negatively impact the funds collected in our churches. Multiculturalism is both a reality and a challenge especially in anti-immigrant political environments. Mission work now includes bridge building, and lots of it in our local communities, requiring lots of phone calls, lots of mis-spelled texts and short-notice meetings and e-transfers and surprise transactions, not just cheques or dollars in the offering plate. "Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:35).
Many of our charities are now almost in same category as the ‘not for profits’ who are in and among all of this. While it is complicated we do not now have the luxury of closing eyes nor examining each ingredient within these 'balls of wax.' The kingdom of God includes missions, and missions is here AND abroad. Even as I point out these intercultural challenges, I confess to a further surprise (and I may be the old-fashioned one here). I see our worldwide faith-based organizations, service agencies, colleges and seminaries, all into new fundraising methodologies, most of them hiring donor relations personnel, a small part of whose job is to relate to potential donors. The major part of their time is spent organizing walks and races and fundraisers, and learning tours and golf tournaments and competitions and photo-shoots and shin digs with famous people, 50/50’s, etc. The love of God may be clearly evident here. It may also be kind of optional.
Jesus, the son of God, incarnation of God's love, bids us be careful of the ideas we deal in, and do not even try it without relating to one another. [iii] Fully aware of Passover ceremony and religiosity and the cost before him, Jesus entered the Temple Courts and expressed it clearly to the money changers doing business right there (Matthew 21:12). My prayer is that our mission efforts and neighbor relations and mission dollars may be clearly and simply rooted in the love of God.
[i] Jack Todd, The Gazette (Montreal, PQ),
October 27, 2023.
[ii] “The Love of God”, Mennonite Hymnal (Newton, KS: Faith and Life Press, 1969) #538.
[iii] "Strangers to Neighbors," the theme for 2023 - 2024 Calgary Interfaith Council.
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