Stewardship Jesus' Way - question 4

Why do we have an orphan mentality?

God is not interested in receiving our leftovers that come from a mindset that we take care of ourselves first and then help others.  If you wouldn’t give leftovers to a guest in your home, why would you give them to your King? To help others first is counter-intuitive.  I’ve been around organizations that had an orphan mentality, taking care of their security first before helping others.    It’s rationalized that responsible organizations take care of the “golden goose” so that the “goose” can continue laying those “golden eggs.”  Don’t get me wrong here, I am all for fiscal responsibility, but what is missing is the recognition that God not only owns all the cattle on a thousand hills, but also owns all the “golden geese” as well.  If we have it all figured out where is there room for God to show up and amaze us?  As strange as it seems, our well-intended “fiscal responsibility” can become an idol and leave us with an orphan mentality.

Too often we try to figure out how little we can give for it to count without disrupting our lifestyle and good plans we have. We approach giving from an orphan mentality.  Perhaps we don’t believe God wants to give us more than we already have.  Our giving is a reflection of our heart, a heart that either trusts God at some level or not.  Your heavenly Father will meet you at whatever level of trust you are offering.  God is not trying to trick you or steal something from you in a ploy to get you to release your grip on your pocketbook.  He doesn’t need your money, but He wants your heart.  How we give of our material wealth is a measuring stick of the relationship with have with our Father.

We cannot hold back to preserve our life, our lifestyle, or our organization, however good they may be. God is calling us to fully trust Him and begin to see He was serious when He said He would care for us. He wants to give us more than we want to receive.  This small thinking – that we need to keep what is ours because we’re not sure there is more - is an orphan mentality that must seem ridiculous to God who wants to pour out blessing upon blessing.  You are a child of the King, you have been purchased from the slavery of your lives at a ridiculous price – the life of Jesus.  Why do we still have an orphan mentality and hoard our blessings?

I have spent time with orphans around the world who have very little materially and yet I sense they have more than most. They didn’t have an orphan mentality.  In many situations when I came to bless them with new clothes and gifts, they were only too eager to give me their only Tonka truck or dolly.  I want that inner wealth and I think you do too.  Allow God to use what you’ve been given for the good of others before yourself.  You are not an orphan.  Stop thinking and acting like one.