Say ‘No’ To Say ‘Yes’
“There is wisdom in generosity, as in everything else. A friend to everybody is often a friend to nobody; or else, in his simplicity, he robs his family to help strangers” (C. H. Spurgeon). Rodney, a skilled British admiral who became a famous Revolutionary War Admiral, was forcibly detained in Paris for debt and no one in Britain, or in Britain’s government, would help him. A French nobleman who didn’t know Rodney decided to pay Rodney’s debt even though he knew he was releasing a formidable opponent. Rodney ended up being the most effective admiral against the French fleet in the Revolutionary War – and it cost France dearly (Tuchman, First Salute, p 162-163).
Our giving ought to be done wisely because God calls us to do what is best (Isa 48:17, NIV). The French nobleman was foolishly generous. Oftentimes, so are we. There are so many needs and so many who want, ask for, or could somehow benefit from our generosity (Mt 26:6-13). We can’t give to every need. Some limitations are necessary. In addition, do we really want to give to some individual or organization that is working or may end up working to undermine what we hold to be dear (Prov 22:16)? We should be wiser in our giving than this.
There is a limitation to what we are able to give even to so-called good projects (1 Cor 16:2, “as he may prosper”). Even if we know the project is good, does that mean we are to give to it? What if our church asks for a regular tithe, money for frequent guest speakers, more money for a building project, additional offerings for missionaries, special relief giving for the poor, ‘love offerings’ for special performers, ‘love gifts’ to give the pastor a nice vacation, financial help to individuals in the church who had special financial needs arise, additional money to cover the cost of special projects, sponsorship of youth to go to camp, etc? There could have simply been a request for regular giving to support church costs and then the church would have to budget the money that comes in to it. Is it our obligation to give to every extra request that comes along (2 Cor 8:13)? Failure to say ‘no’ to a request is actually an indirect ‘no’ to some other thing God may want us to do. Love is able to say ‘no’ to what is good in order to say ‘yes’ to what is best. May the Holy Spirit guide us in our giving (2 Cor 8:5).
We are to be good stewards of the children God may give us.