Rev. Lorraine Hartman

What “good” will you do with your tax refund?

-by Scott Hibben, LDM for Evangelism & New Ministry

            There continues to be lots of talk about the “financial stimulus incentive” that most of us are going to receive in the next several weeks – and all the plans people have for spending it.  New cars, pay off bills, summer recreation (a new boat, trips, etc.), savings, home repair/remodel, entertainment, spend it on the kids… all fine ideas.  But as Christians, what GOOD are we going to do with this unexpected windfall?

            God is giving us yet another opportunity to make a powerful faith statement within our homes and churches, and to the world around us. 

            Let’s say each household in your church receives $1200.  Take a tithe (10%) of that amount, which comes to $120 per household – leaving $1080 of unanticipated income with which every household can splurge!

            Think of the modeling about faith and finances that could take place within your family and your church if YOU stepped forward and said, “This is an opportunity God is giving us to make a difference.”  What are the possibilities, and the witness we could make within the world about what Christians believe and do because of our life in Jesus?  How many children could be fed, how many people struggling with energy/health bills could be helped, how many people in need of counseling or comfort could we reach out to?  And what kind of “return on the blessing” might come our way because of it?!  No doubt many people would say, “That’s the kind of church I want to be a part of!”

            In Genesis 12:2 God says to Abram/us, “I will bless you… (that) you may be (My) blessing.”  I really believe that in this “tax rebate” God is giving us the opportunity to claim this – as God blesses us, and what “good”/blessing we can do with it.

            Another text of scripture: “‘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’” (Luke 4:12).  Usually it’s not good to put God to the test, but here I think God is challenging us to “do it!”  We’ve got so much to give ($120 out of $1200/household) and so much to gain, with nothing to lose (who really thought they’d be getting an extra $1200?).  So why not DO SOME GOOD with this blessing that God (not Uncle Sam) is giving us?!