The Living Bread

There is one day that I’m doing my budget between a purchase for my business and for church offering. The moment we started our business, it became our habit to take down notes on every expenses so that we could monitor every movements of our money.

At first, it felt heavy to let go of the money because it is a bit considerable amount of money. But I immediately realized that the purchase for my business is not exactly a “lost” because it will return with a profit. And yet again, I thought the same for the church offering (I thank God I also immediately realized this.) My church offering is not a “lost” also but a great investment that someday will make a huge return.

Although I realized it instantly, I’m still guilty of considering a church offering as an expense or a “lost” to my budget. Even though I’m a matured Christian, I still have to be reminded that church offerings are the best investment that we could make. Why? Here’s why:

1. The church helps maintain the “flavor of the salt”. As Christians, we are considered as “the salt of the earth” – Matthew 5:13. But sometimes, these salts lose flavors especially if we haven’t been attending services and hearing the word of God for a long time. It is when outside influences are becoming strong. Attending church services helps to remind us the teachings of our Lord. I don’t need to speak for others but myself. Like I said a while, I still have to be reminded of the teachings every now and then.

2. The church helps us to preserve our Christian attitude. If there are no churches or worship services, earthy influences will overcome us and we will act no different from unbelievers. We are still saved for eternal life but we are not immune to consequences of our sins. We may be destined for heaven but our life here on earth can still be ruined by our sins. This is the reason why the enemy is still pursuing Christians even though we are already saved. The devil wants us to suffer in this life more than anyone in this world because he envy us as Christ’s co-inheritor of heaven and earth. He also wants us to displease God with our sin.

3. To bring these messages and reminders to you, the church needs a budget. Let’s face it, nothing, almost nothing, is free nowadays. We have to pay for electricity, water, constructions, materials, and services. And for you to be comfortable while listening to the message (and probably napping), the church must provide air conditioning  nice lighting, comfy chairs, clean surrounding, high-end sound systems, and state-of-the-art auditorium. Services are also needed to make sure everything are prepared and already in place in the time of worship service. Have you already noticed how spoiled you are as a Christian?

4. The church and missionaries need a budget to reach out to people. I remember how I became a Christian. It is my Uncle who patiently travels for miles every week just to conduct a Bible study in our family. He spends for gas to reach us and bring the message.

Same goes to other missionaries and soul winners; they need gas or fare, food and a decent attire to be able to deliver the Good News to those who haven’t heard it yet.

And because they offered their time, they must be compensated. To survive, they also need a budget to be able to eat, drink, and have shelter and clothing. Nobody respects a naked or worn-out clothed soul winner.

Aren’t these things worthy of the part of your budget; your good testimony, your better and clean living, comfortable worship house, the soul of an unbeliever? The last one is maybe the most important of all. If we can’t go out and help the church front-liners share the Gospel, we can help them with our prayer and our offering.

Our Lord Himself said that “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Matthew 16:26. This clearly indicates that a one man’s soul is worth more than anything in this world and even the whole world itself. There’s no amount of money can match a single soul but a small amount of your offering can be an instrument to help save a soul.

Let us stop considering our offering as a “lost” but a gain. If our offering can help save a soul, we are part of the celebration in heaven (Luke 15:7).

And what is money anyway compared to the one you’ll inherit? We are Christ’s co-inheritor of the new heaven and earth (Romans 8:17) and as Jesus Himself promised to you, you already have a mansion waiting for you in heaven (John 14:2).

He also had promised us in return for our generosity:

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” – Luke 6:38.

God knows if we are generous especially in His ministry. Always remember that we cannot outgive God.

Are you going to start to see your church offering as the greatest investment you’ll ever make? Are you ready to start investing on your church this Sunday?

image by: Dreamstime