Give it Away

The greedier America gets, the more Jesus followers get to show how our Lord calls us to
live differently. 

Recently, the U.S House advanced something I’ll struggle to teach about with a straight face in a few decades: “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act”. I never thought I would miss the days when every bill was an acronym. Yes: the USA Patriot Act is an acronym. 

More important than its (somewhat silly) name, this legislation rekindles interest in–and debate over–what is commonly known as “Reaganomics”: supply-side economics if you’re nasty. This approach to the nation’s finances involves steep tax cuts, historically targeted at the wealthiest Americans and corporations. You might have heard this philosophy called “trickle-down” economics, which suggests its strategy: limit taxation for the exceptionally wealthy, and then watch as the money (supposedly) makes its way through the economy in the form of more jobs and increased wages. 

To be clear, no specific policies require this generosity from the rich. Americans who saw their taxes cut were not required to share their wealth. If they wanted to simply hoard the majority of their newfound funds for themselves–leaving most Americans’ wages stagnant–they were free to do so. 

Probably shocking no one, this is basically what happened. For those not interested in studying economic data: some highlights. Since Ronald Reagan took office in 1980, the after-tax income of the middle sixty percent of Americans has increased by thirty-eight percent. This pales in comparison to the 277% increase experienced by the top one percent of Americans. In other words, history shows the wealthiest Americans seem decidedly uninterested in sharing with the rest of us when no one makes them do so. 

This is, of course, allowed as far as America is concerned. I’d argue it's actually encouraged. Our capitalist economy expects individuals to make as much money as possible, with the goal being to then invest that money to make even more. At no point does America ask her citizens to be generous; they are only expected to expand their wealth. Tax policies like those described above only extend this invitation: make as much as you can; do with it what you will. 

This is where the people of God must decide to be better. Unlike our nation, God does care what we do with our money. This goes far beyond God’s command that we give a tenth of what we have back to him. Jesus wasn’t shy about how difficult it would be for the rich to fully embrace God’s call on their life, unless they were willing to give away all they had. Our Lord was thoroughly aware money would attempt to master us, and we would have to choose the object of our worship. This is why Jesus praised those who gave sacrificially. Through their generosity, people like the widow cited above demonstrated money did not lord over them; they were committed to living out the values of the Kingdom.  

Recently, I had the chance to see how my own community of believers felt about their money. The school at which I teach relies on an annual fundraiser to help support our various programs, among them scholarships to help make attending the school more affordable to a wider range of students. Since I serve in a small role putting on the associated auction, I shouldered a small share of the burden that goes along with such an event. I wondered if our community would be generous enough to meet the needs before us. I was particularly concerned given the current economic climate. The uncertainty of President Trump’s policies–and the fact that his previous shot at running the country resulted in an estimated $20 billion decline in charitable giving–did not inspire confidence. I steeled myself for a disappointing evening. 

I should have had more faith. 

Last year, our community raised around $750,000. This year: $1.3 million. 

That’s the kind of good the people of God can do when we choose to reject America’s plan for our finances. Our country expects us to merely make as much as we can. Yet when we listen to the Holy Spirit, he compels us to be both wise and generous with the funds we steward. When we actually do what he says, the Lord can then do immeasurably more with our money than we could ask or imagine. After all, that’s just the kind of God he is. 

As in so many things, God’s idea of how to handle our wealth is just so much better than what America
can concoct. We would do well to remember that.