Defying Gravity: Tethered to GodSt. Paul’s UMC – Pastor Sami Pack-Toner
November 12, 20171 Timothy 6:17-19
Introduction
Albert Lexie is a shoe shiner in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He began shining shoes in 1957 and began shining shoes at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in 1982. At age 15, Albert built a shoe shine box in his high school shop class. Today, he charges $5 to shine your shoes. Albert began donating his tips, which are usually only $1 or $2 per customer, to a fund that assists sick children whose parents can’t afford to pay medical costs.
As well-intentioned as this sounds, you may wonder what kind of a difference this makes to mountainous medical bills.He brings in a few hundred dollars a week, according to hospital administration. Over that thirty-year period he has given over $200,000 to help sick kids. He is, in fact, a major benefactor to the hospital.
In 2006, Lexie was one of thirteen people honored by the Caring Institute. The Caring Awards, which was inspired by the ministry of Mother Teresa, recognize people who have shown commitment to charitable activities and have set an example for others.-Some other recipients that year included Dr. Ben Carson, Rev. Billy Graham, and Cal Ripken, Jr. Think about those people: These overwhelmingly wealthy people…and a shoeshine man from Pittsburgh.
Paul’s Story
Generosity happens by design.Our scripture reading comes from the end of 1Timothy. This whole letter is written most likely by Paul to Timothy, encouraging him in his ministry. He begins by telling Timothy to teach others through his entire life: through word, demeanor, love, faith, and integrity. And then uses the letter to explain what all of these look like.
He describes to Timothy about fighting the good fight of faith. Render good for evil. Overcome evil with good. To be rich in good deeds.To be generous.To be ready to help the needy, to be willing to share.To be race toward righteousness.
Paul is almost begging Timothy to see the true riches of life. He is jumping up and down, cheering him on in the name of Christ. Paul teaches that the love of money provides temporary satisfaction, but the love of God lasts forever.And what better example do we have of God’s love, patience, and compassion than Paul’s story?
Paul is evidence of God’s endless patience.In Timothy’s time, politics and wealth were super connected. More so than now. For one to obtain the amount of wealth they speak of, one needed to be closely associated with the Roman Empire. One needed to be in continuous cooperation of the Roman administration and tolerating/accepting the oppression of the majority of people outside the empire. For most excessively wealthy folks, their wealth was a product of persecution support.
The early Christian movement was a drastic counter-cultural movement. It still is. So, wealth used for the oppression of the least of these was completely against the Christian movement.
When we meet Paul in the book of Acts, his name was Saul, and he was that rich guy who fed off the Roman Empire and its power. He was described as the opposite of the godliness. Where love, endurance and gentleness are the ways to fight the good fight of faith, Paul was a blasphemer, persecutor, a man of violence.
But through God’s compassion, and the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul becomes an example of what a drastic shift in outlook looks like. Now, he trusts in the power of Christ in his ministry. Because of Paul’s backstory, this scripture is that much more powerful for us today.
As we explore how to tether ourselves to God, Paul’s letter to Timothy encourages us and cheers us on. Paul’s back story reminds us that it is possible.
Staying Tethered to God with this formula
Tom Berlin names 3 habits of generous people. These are a formula for defying gravity, a possible path for designing your own generosity.For racing toward righteousness and fighting the good fight of faith.
The first habit is MAKING A BUDGET.Budgets remind us all that our finances matter to God. Our use of those riches truly does matter.We are to provide for our needs and those in our care. All of that is part of being generous.
Paul himself calls us to create homes that are a blessing to those who dwell in them. Budgets help us provide for those we for whom we care.They also help us contribute to the needs of others and organizations that seek greater justice in the world. Like the church budget, we get to see our money expand further than our reach and multiply above our own means.
When we form budgets and live within those boundaries, it allows us to distinguish between needs and wants, true happiness and temporary pleasure.This constructs a SIMPLE LIFE, which is the second habit.Simplicity is the most effective tool for overcoming that extra pull of financial gravity.
We can see simplicity as the absence of something, or we can see simplicity as the freedom from that something.The simple life is less about rules and guidelines and more about the discovery of what brings fulfillment.It takes the work of weeding through what brings joy into your life, and what brings anxiety or hurt or false joy.
This is the echo of Paul’s cheers to Timothy. Race toward righteousness. Absorb all the good things that God offers in this world. Push away evil.The simple life is about seeking what truly makes us happy and finding where it intersects with God’s mission and God’s call in our lives. It isn’t about denying ourselves things that bring happiness; it’s about avoiding things that keep us from deepest joy.
Partnering with God
When we find that intersection of our joys and passion, and the mission of God, we begin to partner with God in our stewardship.This is from all kinds of angles, just like Timothy’s pep talk: partner with God with your words, your love, your integrity, your demeanor, your faith. We begin to SET GOALS FOR GENEROSITY, which is our third habit.John Wesley used to say: “make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.”Setting goals for generosity helps us look beyond our own sight, beyond our own means, beyond our own doors.
We begin to see joy not only in simplicity of our own life, but we see joy in vital ministry. In seeing vital ministry change the world.Things like helping a homeless person find a home, buying a pie to help a local doctor complete a mission, or helping fund a new sound system that allows better hearing, or livestreaming worship services. All of these things bring joy.
Often, our generosity is shaped by our lives and our stories. So, where does your joy and passion overlap with God’s mission?Where is a new place you can begin to partner with God?Generosity happens by design. Generosity happens through habits and joy.