Giving Wisely Series

There is the story of three college friends from Harvard. The first of the three was a financial wizard. He graduated top of his class. He became an executive for a large financial institution. The second was a brilliant scientist working on cutting edge science technology.

The third one dropped out of Harvard after just one year. He was forced to drop out because of bad grades. The three friends got together after being apart ten years after college days.

The first two were frustrated. They were holding top jobs in their firms and making good salaries. But they weren’t making ends meet. With their house mortgage, car payments, private school for the kids and club memberships they were spending more than they were making. Every month they found themselves sinking deeper into debt.

But the third guy, who dropped out of Harvard because of bad grades, had none of these problems. He paid cash for his cars, his house was paid for and he was a millionaire and making money off his investments. The other two asked him. How have you done it? You dropped out of Harvard. How did you become so wealthy?

He explained to them how he made his fortune. He said I begin to buy and sell. I would buy items wholesale for $2 and sell them for $4. He said if you repeat that enough times that 2 percent profit will add up! Ha-ha, he may not have been smart enough to figure percentages, confusing 200 percent profit with 2 percent profit, but in some ways, he was wiser than his friends.

When it comes to giving wisely there is a Godly wisdom that is required. We are not talking only about giving money here. That is included, but not the whole picture. The issue here is, how are we giving our lives to what counts. These verses are telling us to be wise with the big picture stewardship issues: time, talent, and treasure.

10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

These verses help guide us to keep our lives on track. It causes us to evaluate what we are we doing with our life. How we build (1 Corinthians 3:10) is the equivalent of how we live our lives. There is also a warning here too. What we do with our lives is going to be judged by God. Are you going to make your life count?

There is a contrast here:

Gold, Silver and Precious Stone -Verses- Wood, Hay and Stubble

The judgment fire will test a man’s work. The judgment of Christ is coming, and the fluff like wood, hay and stubble will burn. When we live wisely and give our money wisely, we are investing in things that count for eternity and it is called here: gold, silver and precious stone.

When the second temple was under construction there was opposition, and the construction was halted. Because of this the construction materials that had been donated to build the temple were used for their own houses. The prophet Haggai told them it is why they were getting nowhere. What was meant for God was being used for their own personal use.

You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." (Haggai 1:6)

The wise man finds himself saying: “I harvest where I did plant, I reap where I did not sow.” (Like we find in John 4:38) In contrast the foolish is saying, “the harder I work the more behind I get.” I invest what should be given to God on my own needs. I do not trust God and it seems like I put my money in a purse with holes in it. My money runs through my hands like sand.

There is the contrast between the wise and the foolish. What does the wise do to experience this blessing? The wise man gives according to God’s principles. The wise man is building on the foundation of Christ. He lives his life with the primary purpose of bringing glory to God.