Giving pt4: Equality of Commitment
Leadership in Context with Keith Tucci
Episode 055
Money Principle #1: Giving is a grace.
Money Principle #2: Giving is a spiritual standard.
Money Principle #3: What has God given you?
Money Principle #4: It’s the equality of the commitment, not the abundance of gifts, that really makes a difference.
2 Corinthians 8:13-15
For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality—at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality;as it is written, “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
There is a difference between equality of commitment and equality of gifts.The great teams will have gifts that are different, but there will be an equality of commitment.
If you look at some of the greatest baseball teams in history, they always seemed to have one or a few guys that made a heroic contribution to their team. They weren’t the most gifted or even a starter, but when they were called on, they gave everything they had and they performed to their maximum, best level.
When I was a pastor, one of the things I downloaded to my team was: Though our gifts may be different, our commitment to the Lord and the Church had to be the same.
Yes, that is a high standard to call people to who are working full-time jobs and serving the church. But it is also very freeing, in that everything they bring to the table is something good, something valuable, and something that is needed. I would measure that by saying, “Whatever you’ve agreed to do, whatever God has called you to do, whatever ministry you are involved in, you should be as prepared in that as I am when I get up to speak on a Sunday morning.” If I got up on a Sunday and said, “I really didn’t have time this week, I was busy, some things happened, the dog got sick, and I wasn’t able to do my job,” that would not convince people that this was a church that had vision, mission, or integrity.
I would share with my team that when they took on responsibilities, that their commitment was greater than their gifts. They didn’t have to be as gifted as the next person. That wasn’t what God or I was asking for. What they had to do was be completely committed to do what they could do.
That is what 2 Corinthians 8:13-15 is speaking to regarding money. “…so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality…” It’s equality of opportunity. It doesn’t matter how much money you have. The rich and the poor will be given the same opportunity to give. We should not deny people the opportunity to give. Often, we are trying to be socially sensitive, but actually we are being theologically irresponsible.
We approach giving people responsibility as a burden rather than an opportunity. This is a great failure of leadership. My kids tease me and tell me that I’ll ask anyone to do anything. My thinking is that if I’m willing to do it, it’s worth doing. I’m not going to do things for the sake of doing them. If I believe it’s a God thing, I’m going to invite other people to do it. I have the liberty to ask, and they have the liberty to say yes or no. Very seldom did people tell me they couldn’t do it. I believe in giving people the opportunity to say yes or no.
In many churches, there are certain go-to people that we keep piling things onto. They are gracious, and they do it. The problem is, in doing those things, they may be neglecting the very area that they are most fruitful in. And we may be withholding opportunities from others who would bear much fruit if given the chance to say yes or no.
God is looking for spiritual distributors who will do something with what they have. When we don’t feel like we have a lot to give, we should be honored and privileged that God looks at us with equality and that we are able to give.
Join us next week as Keith Tucci continues to put leadership truth in the context of the local church. And as always, please like, share, rate/review, and invite others to listen. See you next week!
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