Dear Friends in Christ,

I have been thinking in these letters for a month now about financial stewardship. After talking all about the nitty-gritty, I want to say one last thing on the topic, which is this: giving sets us free.

This claim may seem counterintuitive. After all, financial resources allow us to do the things we want, and they provide us with a sense of security. When we pledge, we give up some of those resources. We voluntarily tie our hands a little. We obligate ourselves with (yet another) financial commitment.

But something unexpected happens at the same time. When we give money away, we make a claim about its relative worth in our lives. Sure, money matters. But other things matter more: Community. Charity. God.

When we lock our money away in savings, we show certain virtues—prudence and restraint. But when we give our money away with thought and care, we show even greater virtues: Trust. Generosity.

The bible names a standard of giving, which is the tithe. Ten percent of our income goes outside of ourselves and for God’s purposes. That standard can feel overwhelming to think about, and it can feel impossible to reach. But I will promise you that it is ultimately freeing.

When I give ten percent, I am putting the desire of God ahead of the desire of this world or even my own desires. Every time I write that check, I am reminded that money does not define me. God defines me.

Paradoxically, when we are anxious about money, one of the most effective antidotes is to give money away. Generosity breaks money’s hold over us. And then instead of feeling scared, we are able to feel grateful—grateful for the gifts we have received, and grateful for the Giver who shares them with us.

Of course the church needs your pledges. It would be disingenuous to pretend otherwise. But the real reason to pledge is not the church’s need but your own. Giving allows God to enter your heart, and it frees your heart to welcome him as Lord alone over it.

Yours in Christ,
Anne+