“That bread which you keep belongs to the hungry; that coat which you preserve in your wardrobe, to the naked; those shoes which are rotting in your possession, to the shoeless; that gold which you have hidden in the ground, to the needy. Wherefore, as often as you are able to help others, and refuse, so often did you do them wrong.” Augustine

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” James 4.17

The children of Israel griped about having no food for the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land so God provided manna. They could have manna every day. There was just one stipulation; get only what you needed for each day. “Then Moses said to them, ‘No one is to keep any of it until morning.’ However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.” (Exodus 16.19,20) Sound familiar?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6.19-21)

How much room do you have in your closets for a few more shirts or dresses? Need any more t-shirts for your chest of drawers? How full is your storage room? How often do you have to clean out the refrigerator? Is your pantry full or empty? Do you have any room at the bottom of your closet for more shoes? Who needs all this stuff we are accumulating? The poor. They need the money that we spent on our excess. I am convinced that is why we are so tempted to spend all we have on ourselves. Satan knows where it is most needed and he sees to it that it never reaches those destinations. We are all over-invested in ourselves. Including me. And you know what; this stinks.

It’s time to do something. It’s time to invest in the Kingdom. It’s time to put our money where we say our faith, hope, and love is. I’m going to be thankful for what I have, use up the surplus that I’ve accumulated, and look for ways to raise money and save money to put into ministry. And I’m starting today. I don’t know where it will all go. I don’t know how it will all turn out. But, I do know this, “God can’t steer a parked car” (Earl Palmer) so I’m cranking the engine and pushing the gas. I don’t know where she’ll end up but I bet it’s a little more exciting than sitting on the curb. See you on the road.