A Pastor was once baptizing a young gentleman. The young man interrupted the Pastor saying, 
“Sir, wait a second. Let me first keep my money purse out”. The Pastor replied, “Son, unless your purse is also in, I cannot baptize you”. Giving has become a sore spot for many Christians. Everyday we are bombarded with appeals for money – from television and radio evangelists, from missionaries, from parachurch organizations, from relief agencies and from our own churches. Sometime people get fed up. But let me ask you this simple question – “Is your purse baptized?” One EGF man said, “Your spirituality is measured by the way you give”. Once one of our Graduate met his old time EU friend on a busy street after long years. He straightaway asked his friend, “Are you giving to UESI?” When his friend replied, “No”, he shouted “Shame on you!” UESI ministry begun with the sacrificial giving of great man of God like Prof. H. Enoch, who once told a Staff- worker (PT Chandapilla), “As long as there is a morsel of food in my house, you shall not go hungry”. I pray that such commitment will continue down the generation. Last month our Staff-workers were paid only 88% of their salary due to receipt of less contribution. I do not call this as deficit. Deficit is not my word. Whatever the Lord provide is sufficient. However, we lose a lot when we do not give. The ministry will keep growing even without a single paisa. But the sad part is that we lose the privilege of participating in God’s mission with our money. Some of us may be wondering what is Christian giving? Giving is worship. It is an outward expression of our love to God. Giving is also sowing. Its wiser to sow generously, not sparingly. Giving is also an investment. It is a privilege. Who should give? Each one should give. No one is excluded – haves or haves not. No one is too poor to give nothing to God or to fellow men. What to give? Give yourself first, as a living sacrifice. Your wealth – money, crops, materials, and anything that can be useful. Your talents, gifts and availability. How much to give? The answer is ‘how much you still have?’ Do not be stingy in giving to God and His people. As you decides in your heart. Give what you have. God does not expect us to give what we don’t have. Be generous in giving. No one has ever suffered because of giving, but on the other hand, people suffer because they don’t give. How to give? Give consistently, systematically as tithe, free will offering, thanks giving, alms, and so on. Why should we give? Giving draws us closer to God, and we grow spiritually. The Levites are to dedicate themselves to the ministry of the Lord. They will not divert their attention with earning. So the people must give so that the Levites will have enough means of living. Tithe is not ours, it belongs to God. In the strict sense, paying tithe is not giving. It is just paying God’s own share. So our giving must go beyond tithe. Whatever you have is not yours. So its foolishness not to give when you are there as a steward of the wealth in your hand. Being a miser is a sin. “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the LORD Almighty” (Malachi 3:8- 12). Christian giving is God’s will. Oh, how blessed it is to do God’s will!
Moatoshi Imsong
Zonal SecretaryUESI-NE
email: zonalsecretary@gmail.com
Call: 09856276827 / 09612002214
