Giving Back

I was recently engaged in a conversation on giving, or lack thereof in churches. I don't really think it's any different than the shortfalls we are seeing in all kinds of budgets - personal, educational institutions, municipal, state, federal, charitable organizations. Everyone at every level seems to be in a bind these days. Some of us seemed to feel that giving to the church should fall into a different category because of the scriptural directives. Others felt that because the church has a budget that is administered by church members who are trustworthy we have an obligation to give to meet that budget. I have to confess that there were some other perspectives that I failed to hear because I had an immediate knee-jerk-shut-down-processing reaction as soon as I heard the word tithe. After I managed to get my faculties back I thought, hey! That blog thing! Lots of people could weigh in, offer new and different perspectives that might help me process better! And since we didn't meet last week... I can hijack the post with no problem! So, here goes, and please leave your comments! (You can do it anonymously.)

Stewardship, giving, tithing - those are uncomfortable words for most people. I couldn't help but wonder why? We all know the economy is bad, making it difficult to support anything outside your family. It seems that "the church" doesn't consider giving to other charitable organizations part of the "tithe", and how do you factor in time and talent for those of us who are short on cash? There are so many demands on my resources that I know I am more disposed to give to those causes that are flexible, and appreciate whatever I can give, no matter how small. That led me to think about why I give at all.

I did a little (and I do mean little) research into the reasons behind why people give. One article I read cited five reasons: commitment or obligation (because God said so); compassion (giving from the heart to make a specific difference); community (support of the people doing the work of the church, friends); challenge (goal-oriented campaigns, think thermometer on the wall); critical (believe their investment in the church is being handled wisely). I don't know about you, but I feel like I have fallen into every one of those categories at one time or another.

As I was reading through those five reasons for giving, I could see a shift in general societal attitudes. My grandparents and parents gave because the Bible said they should, it was an obligation that they took very seriously. They did also believe that the church created and maintained compassionate programs, they felt more closely tied to their friends at church, they believed that the money was handled appropriately and also gave to above and beyond campaigns, but for the primary reason they gave was obligation.

In a transient society, where we move from one place to another community is often difficult to develop and cultivate. Challenges have become and over-used nuisance. We insist on fiscal responsibility or withhold giving. Commitment is overrated. But, specific, targeted projects with tangible results allow me to do good, but also feel good about doing good. I think this is how many in my generation and the ones that follow feel today. I am not a scholar and have no basis for those statements other than my own observation and opinion.

"In the old days" "everybody gave to their church. I use the quotation marks to make a point here. When we think about stewardship, giving and tithing we think about it from our own perspective, colored by our unique experiences. Completely normal and human. The thing is, society and the human landscape are constantly changing and I can't hold on to the way things used to be done. That doesn't mean that I have to like the way things are. But complaining that they aren't what they used to be, or that things aren't done the way they "should" be has absolutely no impact on reality. I believe that if I want to make a difference in some way I need to understand the current situation, visualize the ideal situation, and then find a relevant bridge between the two.

So, in order to understand the current situation I invite you to weigh in. Why do you give? What is your motivation?