Never Stop: Money

"A wee little man was he" the children's song tells us.  The same tune tells us that Jesus told "the wee little man" to "come down from that tree" and that He was "going to his house today."

Zacchaeus was his name and Luke tells his story.  Luke tells us that the wee little tax collector did indeed descend the sycamore tree and welcome Jesus into his house.  To his new Guest, the man made rich through government-sanctioned theft, made a radical decision and announced it.

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Luke 19:8 (NIV)
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

In this last blog devoted to the theme of "Never Stop," I want to suggest that Zacchaeus began, with those actions, a commitment to never stop honoring God with his money.  We, with good reason, assume that the short man did make good on his promise.  From the man of small stature, we learn a great deal regarding God-honoring financial stewardship.  We learn to . . .
(1) Practice generosity.
(2) Be honest.
(3) Fix your mistakes (or out-right crimes).

Working in reverse, I mention first the fixing bit.  Fixing requires acknowledgment of wrong-doing.  Have you dealt dishonestly with money?  Have you robbed God by not giving?  Have you ignored a debt you owe?  Have you committed fraud?  Fix what has been done.

Once you fix what you did, commit to honesty.  Charge fair prices.  Pay what you owe.  Return the miscounted change.  Refuse excessive debt.

Once you commit to honesty, you will be able to practice generosity.  You will free yourself from self-absorbed greed and shift to other-focused sharing.  Your closed fist will open.  Your hardened heart will soften.  

The wee little man climbed up the tree out of a sense of curiosity.  The wee little man climbed down the tree following the call of Christ.

Is Jesus calling you down from a tree?  Climb down and follow Him.

Have you not seen what Jesus can do?  Climb up and watch Him.

Short or tall makes no difference.  Honoring God with your money without stopping makes a great difference.  Start now, if you haven't already begun, and never stop serving God with your money.

#ordinarylives

Photo credit:  https://sundayschoolzone.com/activity/zacchaeus-met-jesus-teaching-picture/