Trusting God with our resources is His desire for us and grows out of our relationship with Him. As we grow in faith, we also trust the Lord to guide our lives even when it doesn’t seem logical.
Martin Luther King Jr. said this about faith. “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the entire staircase.”[1] God doesn’t need our resources, but we must learn how to give up our resources for others. Giving as the Lord guides us will often lead us to depend on Him more and surrender our hearts to Him. As we surrender our hearts to the Lord, we allow him to guide and direct our lives so we no longer live for ourselves. 2 Corinthians 5:15He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” [2]
The Lord Calls Us to Look at Our Resources Differently
As children of God, we are stewards of what the Lord has given us. God gives everyone time, talent, and treasure; if we see ourselves as stewards, our resources look different. We begin to see our resources as something the Lord gives us for the betterment of others.
In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus witnessed people giving their money in the Temple. Some people gave large amounts because they were wealthy. However, it wasn’t the wealthy givers that God paid attention to, but a poor widow who gave two small coins. Jesus told His disciples that she had given much more than the others because she gave everything she had.
Does this mean we must donate all our resources the next time we are in church? No, but it means we can trust the Lord with our resources, whether rich or poor.
Trusting God With Our Resources
On Palm Sunday, we recall that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, a beautiful example of trusting the Lord. Luke 19:30 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” 34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. [3]
When the Lord asks us to give our resources, we must trust Him. In this Psalm Sunday story, the owners trusted the disciples who said the Lord needed it. Often, giving is a step of faith, not realizing that giving changes us and allows the Lord to work through us in ways that bless others.
To learn more about trusting God with our resources, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/weeping-amid-rejoicing
[1] https://medium.com/@ameet/3-great-quotes-by-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-9f3346231383
[2,3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2 Co 5:15). Tyndale House Publishers.