Nobody Likes a Grumpy Giver

Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. – Deuteronomy 15:10 (NRSV)

Your pastor probably doesn’t think they’re so good at raising money. 

Your pastor probably is expected to raise a whole lot of money. 

Your pastor is likely to be terrified of raising money. 

“Inspiring generosity” and “unleashing giving potential” sound lovely. And they are. Our spirits leap when we are generous and pastors love a leaping spirit, I think. Well, I do, anyway. 

Leaping spirit gifts are a joy. 

The tough ones are the gifts that land with a thud. 

Picture the gift with a rope tied around it. BAM! The gift is given but can always be tugged away. If pastor preaches on that forbidden topic. If the musician doesn’t play The Ol’ Rugged Cross every month. Or if the pastor doesn’t preach on that required topic or if the musician plays The Ol’ Rugged Cross one more time…

The checklist of requirements for giving draws a cord around hearts that make it hard for a spirit to leap as we tether our giving to our expectations. 

But gifts to the church are not for the pastor. They are for God. 

My recommendation? Align with a community and then make your peace with it. Gifts aren’t given to decisions; they are given to the place you have decided God is at work. 

This brings cheer. If your gift makes you grumpy – are you in the right place? 

Prayer

May my spirit leap as I think about your generosity, O God. May my gifts do the same. Amen.

About the Author
Kaji Douša contributed this devotional to On Giving: Reflections and Resources for Pre-Generous Parishioners, an honest-to-God resource for those deciding how to financially support their churches. Order On Giving here!