Yesterday we dedicated our pledges and celebrated with a water ceremony in worship.  As we came forward we placed our pledge cards in the altar basket and poured our water in the communal vase.  Each drop of water that joined with the whole signified how we come together to do God's work in the world. 

Sharing our money is one way we can be generous.  As Jesus reminds us, it doesn't matter if we have little or much.  Our calling is to give.  In the story of the widow's mite, the widow gave a very small amount but was the most generous because she gave out of her poverty while everyone else gave out of their plenty.

In our everyday lives we receive many requests for funds.  Many of the causes that ask for our money are worthy ones.  In addition to giving to the church, Gary and I regularly support The ALS Association, Hope Works (formerly Women's Rape Crisis Center), Empire Grove United Methodist Campground and give on a one-time basis to other causes.  It feels good to support worthwhile work in the world. 

However, it is also scary to give sometimes.  What if I give away my money, only to find that I don't have enough?  What if an unexpected bill arrives and I don't have the funds to cover it?  These are real questions we need to wrestle with as we ponder and discern our call to give. 

Giving money is important to me because it is one way I can be part of something larger than myself.  I can be one drop in the fountain.  I may not be able to find a cure for ALS, but I can support those with the education and expertise to try.  I may not be able to reach everyone in South Burlington with the love of Christ, but I can support our church community as we seek to do just that.

What motivates you to be generous with your money?  Why do you give?  What scares you about giving?  Please share in the comments!  Next week we will discuss generosity in terms of time. 

Lately I've been pondering the theological meaning of generosity.  That is probably not surprising since we are in the midst of our Stewardship Campaign!  Even so, there are many ways we can be generous.  Collins English Dictionary defines generosity in this way:

generosity — n  , pl -ties 1. willingness and liberality in giving away one's money, time, etc; magnanimity 2. freedom from pettiness in character and mind 3. a generous act 4. abundance; plenty

Being generous is more than simply opening our wallets to give some of our resources to a worthy cause.  Generosity is an out-look on life.  It is a way of living in and looking at the world.  Even those who have nothing to physically give can be extremely generous.  Yet, those who give the most materially may not be very generous at heart. 

When I "googled" images for generosity, this Wordle came up.  (It is from a blog called "Adventures in Storytelling.)  I like it because it expands the idea of generosity beyond monetary gifts.  How have you experienced generosity?  How have you practiced generosity?  Over the next few weeks I will share some of my thoughts about how we can live generously through our time, our money, our attitudes, and our love.  Feed free to share your thoughts!  In fact, I hope you will be generous with your comments :)