How Much More?

Have you seen the commercial for a handy, multi-tasking power tool? The commercial takes place in a man’s garage. He’s tinkering around, fixing various broken things and working hard on several home improvement projects. We see this man explaining to his neighbor just how well the power tool works: see all the projects you can get done with this little gadget. The man is proud of the power tool--showing off the usefulness and easy-handling of the machine. Just about that time, another neighbor walks up to the open garage door and say, “Tom, can I get my power too back?” Tom quietly, and discretely, pushes the garage door button. Slowly the garage door closes as the neighbor continues to ask about the (his) power tool. Tom’s pride in the power tool is mistaken for pride in a possession of his own, instead of something he’s “borrowed” and “forgotten” to return.

Have you ever had that happen? Have you lent someone one of your possessions, only to never see it again? I can think of a specific book I lent someone, about 3 or 4 years ago, that I’ve never seen since. Understanding my love of books (by the way, you’ve seen the office, right?), you’ll quickly realize how much a forever-borrowed book means to me. I suppose this is why is don’t lend out books very often. At one point I lent a book to a co-worker, another book lover. I remember distinctly the solemn tone of her promise to return it (after all, she’d feel the same way if I forever-borrowed one of her books!). Can you think of something you’ve lent that’s never been returned? That’s just not a good feeling. Of course, we could think of things we’ve borrowed and not returned, but there’s probably not many here that fit that description, right?

Jesus faced the same problem as Tom and his neighbor—the issue of things being forever-borrowed. Let’s read what happened:

[Matthew 22:15-22]

The Pharisees were up to it again; they wanted to stop Jesus teaching. This time they’ve come with back-up: the Herodians. These folks were supporters of Herod, the Roman-appointed “puppet king” over Israel. These two groups have united only to oust Jesus, normally they wouldn’t be seen together. For this one cause, though, they joined forces. Their words were overly sweet--dripping with comments they did not really mean. The disguise of mock flattery did not cover their true intentions--to trap Jesus. If they could just corner Him into saying “yes” or “no” someone was sure to take notice and take action. Saying yes ensured that the Zealots (a Jewish group who didn’t believe God’s people should be subject to pagan Gentiles) and other Jewish groups would be against His teaching and ministry. If Jesus said yes, you need to pay taxes, He was upsetting the Jewish people. Saying no would draw attention from Roman authorities who prohibited rebellions against the State. The Romans didn’t care much what you did as long as it didn’t cause a rebellion. If you did cause a rebellion, you could be sure it would quickly be stopped--with force. The Pharisees and Herodians were definitely pushing Jesus into a corner.

Through all this, Jesus points out the error in the Pharisees’ and Herodians’ question: God gives us everything. Indeed, give to Caesar what is Caesar’s but don’t forget that it is God who gives you everything you have. In verse 21, the word Jesus used for “give” means something more like to give back or repay. When we give, we are taking something we’ve earned, made, or obtained and letting another person have it. If I work, earn a paycheck, purchase a book, and give that book to Elizabeth, I’m giving (not lending) something of mine to her. If I give back something, I’m returning what wasn’t mine to begin with. I was simply borrowing it. If I repay Suzy $20, then I am giving back the $20 I borrowed earlier. I didn’t own the $20, I borrowed it (and hopefully not forever-borrowed!).

God is our provider. Everything we have--including our breath--is because of God’s generous grace. Therefore, we owe everything to God--not just our 10 percent tithe, but our whole being. Instead of asking God which parts He wants, we are called to give over everything we have and are to Him. As Christians, God gives us love and grace to transform our lives to be like Him. Generosity isn’t the type of giving that counts, “one for you, three for me.” When we give back to God and others, we’re called to give with open hearts and hands.

Our life of holiness does not allow us to pick and choose what we want to give back to God. Holiness is a lifestyle that recognizes we can not divide our lives into compartments--slices of a pie to be hoarded or shared at will. God wants us to give back to Him that which He gave us--everything. At church we can get stuck on how much money we’re giving. Giving back to God, however, is a generosity that says whatever I have is ours: time, space, food, money, career, family, grace, and love. What does it look like for us to give back to God in our community? I think we saw that during VBS: a church generously sharing time, food, money, resources, love, grace, knowledge . . . the Gospel with the children and families of our community. God blesses our generosity through the love He shares with His children. In what ways, outside of VBS, can we be generous in our giving back to God? How is God calling you to give back His love?

Have you forever-borrowed what God has given to you? Do you keep God’s gifts stashed in the back of the closet, keeping it “out sight, out of mind”? Perhaps you’re proudly showing off what God has given you, but you’ve failed to mention that it’s supplied by God’s grace.

The wonderful thing about giving back borrowed items is the freedom it gives you. How can you truly possess that which doesn’t really belong to you? You can’t. But you can be generous with the grace has given you . . . pass it on.