Devotional 9-23-18

Give a little, save a little, spend a little.

We are created to be generous. Genesis 1:26 tells us that we are created in God’s image, and our understanding of God is that God is loving and generous. But, we also have a bent to selfishness. The disobedience in the Garden of Eden caused humanity to struggle with sin. Pride and selfishness interfere with our desire to be generous. We struggle with fear and scarcity, even as we desire to be generous.

We live in a consumerist culture that leads many people to struggle with debt. Generosity must be learned and practiced in a culture where money and possessions have almost a mystical power. Our relationship with money and possessions can interfere with our living into the call to be generous. That relationship is often rooted into how money was treated in our family.

Was money a taboo subject when you were growing up? Did you know how much money your parents made? Did you know how much your parents had?

Was money talked about at the dinner table? Did your parents teach you skills in handling money? Were family conversations around money filled with anxiety? Hopefulness? Gratitude? Anger?

I was humbled and honored to do serve at Dave Ohl’s funeral recently. At the evening visitation time with the family, I had a chance to visit with Dave’s grandchildren. I learned that Dave Ohl sent cards to his five grandchildren all their lives. He sent cards for all occasions, even Halloween. Dave picked out five specific cards that matched the individual personalities of each of the five grandchildren.

In each card, Dave wrote each grandchild a personal note. He also included money and ended each note with the admonition to, “give a little; save a little; spend a little.” In his loving and generous gifts to his grandchildren, Dave Ohl passed on to them a healthy attitude toward money that focused first on giving.

What seeds Dave Ohl planted for nurturing generous grandchildren!

You are created in God’s image. What will your family say was the attitude about money and possessions in your household?

Rev. Jeff Taylor