Sermon: “Give.“
Give.
It is one of the most beautiful words in our language.
Give.
Is a word of action, of relations, of faith. Of hospitality. Of kindness. Of compassion.
Give.
Give and you will be given. Give and you will receive. Give and the world opens.
Give.
Just recently as we were getting ready for Sunday Lunch after our worship, a young man entered the hallway and stood warily waiting. One from our congregation approached him, and he asked to speak to the pastor.
And so, I walked up to him, introduced me and asked what I could do for him.
He could barely look me in the eyes, but very softly said: “I’m sorry to bother you and interrupt your Sunday Lunch and your sacred fellowship, but I just need a few dollars to help pay for a place to stay tonight.” I listened patiently as he explained his situation, and I automatically thought if I had any cash in my pocket or my purse to spare? Then I remembered our church policy and procedure in situations like this that unfortunately do happen on a frequent basis even in affluent Yorba Linda, Land of Gracious Living.
Our church policy and procedure to protect the pastor, to avoid scammers, to discourage regular returning homeless, - to not have any cash money to give. Instead, we have gift cards to Stater Bros, to In and Out, to McDonnald etc. – and of course I offered him the gift card we had, and I invited him to join us for lunch.
After his plea, uncomfortable for him and uncomfortable for me, - he was very gracious. “Nobody’s got cash anymore, “he shrugged. And he said thank you for the gift card and a bite to eat, - but gently reminding of his request, his specific need: “I need a place to stay tonight…. I am grateful for gift card and food but unfortunately that will not get me a place to stay.”
With grace he thanked me again, and once again apologized for interrupting our Sunday lunch and worship, and he walked on.
Unfortunately, we are so accustomed to situations like this. At the freeway ramp, at the grocery’s stores, at the sidewalks, in our neighborhood, inner cities, homeless shelters and community… and our churches.
Unfortunately, we are not always giving in the land of Gracious Living. We can not safe everyone, we say. We can not safe the world, we think. We can not solve this sad crisis of homelessness that we witness every day, we say. We can not give to everyone in need on our way, we say.
No, but we can give to the one who asks of us. Money, food, shelter, care, dignity and compassion. As a pastor I never send anyone away, with out listening, giving my time and my prayer. Giving a cup of coffee or a lunch or a chair to rest in.
If only the man who came to church knew not only my heart but the heart of this congregation, that we really do care, that we truly try to give and live in a Gracious Land of faith, love and hope.
If only the men and women who come to church constantly are reminded that as a pastor, as a congregation and as a church we are committed to justice, equality, solidarity despite personal political and possible more partisan opinions.
As a church, as a congregation, as a Christian we are called to be…. Compassionate, committed, caring. We are called to give.
“Give to the one who asks of you and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you,” Jesus tells us in Matthew 5.42.
It is practical guidance on how to habituate ourselves out of the love of money and into the love of neighbors: it tells us to give. To God, to our neighbor, to our community, to our vulnerable and weak, to the ones that needs to be given and we can give to … in the name of the God we believe in, confess to and who believes in us as givers, stewards, servants and believers.
Give.
Give therefor to the emperor the things that are the emperors and to God the things that are God’s, “Jesus said. And they were amazed the Gospel says, - and we can ad: we are confused. Because what belong to the Emperor and what belong to God What are we asked to give to the emperor, the society, the state, IRS and what are we asked to give to God, to our neighbors, out of our faith?
I love the words of the Danish Poet when he turns well known sayings upside down and gives them a new meaning.
We say: Pay your tax with joy. Meaning pay your share as you are part of this society.
The Poet says: Pay your joy with tax. Meaning let your joy pay forward. Let your joy pay your taxes so society may get a share of your joy and wealth.
Today’s gospel contains some of Jesus most well-known, quoted and debated words. “So, give back to the Emperor what is the emperor and to God what is God’s.”
Where is the line? How do we decide? How we read this and how we interpret this determines how we live in response.
We cannot simply line u two columns and make a checklist of things to give the emperor and things to give God. Every day, every moment, we must discern together how to be faithful citizens in the culture and society in which we reside. How to be good and faithful servants. Do we give with joy, or do we give because we cannot avoid giving?
In the gospel Jesus answers the trap set by the Pharisees as they ask him: Is it right to pay taxes to the emperor or not… - and Jesus answers with a simple and yet very compelling request: “Show me the money. Give me a coin. “
A fine often overlooked point in this conversation is that Jesus does not have a coin. He does not have money in his pocket. Maybe he did not carry a coin because the coin carried the image of Caesar, and Jesus did lie outside the norms of economics of the empire. So, he had to ask someone for a coin to use as a prop. It might be of significant meaning that there is no coin in Jesus own hand….
Give, Jesus says.
Give.
Give as good citizens to uphold democracy, decency, education, childcare, hospitals, colleges, roads, clean water and clean air.
Give as a good Christians with joy to feed the hungry, give shelter to the homeless, care for the grieving, comfort for the lonely, time and space to the minorities, to the elderly and to the children.
Give as a good christian with joy – because we are called to give, to share and to care.
“We become what we receive.” We sing every Sunday after communion. “We become what we receive.” Because of what is given to us.
So, Give.
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
― Winston Churchill
“Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart