Stewardship

In my preparation for the Stewardship Campaign, there was a recurring theme: while we may think that an individual’s generosity benefits the recipient more than the giver, the giver is actually the one who receives the greatest benefit. This benefit is happiness and a stronger relationship with God. When we are generous, we not only enhance the lives of others but we also enhance our lives.

There are numerous Bible passages and quotes, some of which are mentioned below, that stress the
importance and benefits of generosity:

• “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” Luke 6:37- 38
  

• “One man gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” Proverbs 11:24
  

• “In all things I have shown you that by so toiling one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
  

• “The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 11:6-7, 11
  

• “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21
  

• “Remember that there is no happiness in having or getting but only in giving. Share. Smile.  Hug. Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.” Og Mandino
  

• “The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” Albert Einstein
  

• “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill 

Over the next several weeks, you will be presented with Harbinger covers, minutes for missions, and sermons that will emphasize the importance of giving, stewardship, and generosity. At the end of this
campaign, we will be asked by one other, Lud, and God to make a fi nancial commitment to Westminster. As we consider this commitment, let us remember that (1) it is in giving that we receive; (2) our generosity will help us achieve happiness and a stronger relationship with God; and (3) our generosity will have a lasting impact on each individual, our families, Westminster, and the programs Westminster supports.
In closing, I leave you with the following excerpt from one of Lud’s sermons in 1999:

After twenty-three years in parish ministry, I have come to believe the love of money may be the root
of all evil. Over and over again, it produces an arrogance, an idolatry, a self satisfaction, and a loss of
direction that murders one’s soul. We don’t mean for it to happen. Often we are blind to its power. But
nothing else in our lives possesses such an ability to destroy us emotionally and spiritually. Constantly,
pastors deal with people who have everything, and yet have nothing. For most of us, a desire for money
is the roadblock to emotional, spiritual, and familial health. On the other hand, when given generously
and gratefully nothing else possesses such an ability to foster a spirit of gratitude, peace, and love of
God and others. I urge you this morning to give generously not because of the church budget, but out
of gratitude and what that gratitude will do for you.

Tod Hyche
Stewardship Chairman  

Download the Bank Authorization PDF to make donations to Westminster Presbyterian Church through automatic draft.