It is already time to extend New Year greetings to individuals at specific locations on the globe while some of us have to wait for a few more hours to do same. It is assumed that everyone utilizes the same formula of marking time hence the glamour attached to New Year celebrations across the globe marked in several places by elaborate firework displays and parties.
Most people like to be happy; even supposed evil dictators get to have birthday parties organized for either themselves or for family members. Some people like to go over the top to celebrate wedding ceremonies, child birth(s) and even soccer victories. More than a few acknowledge their creator while some just celebrate humanity. The human body gets weary, broken and old; depression and emptiness are sometimes resident in our kind. At times, no amount of motivation can depolarize us from dispirited states but there may just be something however insignificant that will be capable of making someone happy.
I wonder how sensible life would have been if we did not have calendars, time machines and seasons to keep track of existence. Would it have been without chaos? We must understand by now that we are stuck in time and it is irrelevant whether we believe in a deity or not; the time we will have to be humans will end in only a moment. That fact alone should inform humanity that who or what controls life is way beyond human regulation but the practice of many religions have unfortunately served in no small way in encouraging some people to believe otherwise.
Many religions demand that some days and seasons be celebrated; there may be postural specifications, calls and responses as well as dress code requirements. Religion is capable of discrimination as humans who may not meet the physical specifications to carry out these pathways are not in a sense carried along. Religion could become elitist and make people powerless to truly help humanity; a function which the discipline inherent in religion ought to enhance.
Many have walked away from Christianity mainly because of money issues. Money is the main medium of giving offerings in the church and it is not divine wisdom that some individuals have become incredibly wealthy by manipulating church resources for their own advantage. There is really nothing wrong in giving to the church whether in offering or in tithe; what is important to note is that there must be a clear understanding of why money or anything at all is given.
The church is the body of people who believe in and act based on the teachings of Christ. Giving is a culture which existed long before Jesus Christ; giving is essentially part of human nature and it sustains life. Israelites in the Old Testament donated to the construction of a golden calf by Aaron because they had become weary of waiting for Moses’ return (Exodus 32). They gave their precious items albeit for a negative purpose. In Exodus 36, Israelites gave so much to a construction work that they were later instructed to withhold from giving. King Joash in 2 Chronicles 24 ordered a levy to be collected by the priests and it is recorded that the people gave gladly. What is common to all these positive scenarios is that there was accountability especially on the part of the collectors, officials and workers. They were the ones who reported that the people had given enough and the funds were judiciously used.
Is there accountability in our days? How many church leaders will be willing to ask their congregation to halt their giving especially when an urgent need has been met? What will most likely happen in our days is that these men and women will leverage on the generosity of their people and device avenues to further milk them until they are weary. We should give gladly because there is a need; those who labour in the church actively and those sent as missionaries have needs and the church infrastructure also needs maintenance. The poor and needy as well as communities and nations should not be beyond the scope of a church’s resources. Majority of what is done in our days is unfortunately not different from what celebrity life is all about. A church will readily change the interior design of their auditoriums quarterly than help impoverished children obtain sound education.
When the people are made weary; some begin to see the insincerity of their leaders while others just do not have to give anymore. There is a feedback mechanism which ensures that the leaders device newer strategies to continue to psyche their members to give more. Some will give because they believe that God will multiply blessings unto them and only a few will retain the true reason for giving like the widow with her two coins. Once a church establishes a lavish system following a period of boom, it is usually difficult to practice modesty and contentment if income dwindles. All sorts of untoward practices ravage the church which ends up breeding more unbelievers in the long run.
Giving is what some people want to run away from. They want things to be all about them alone and feel that responding to God equates bondage. Everyone who believes in the church ought to give according to their abilities and with the right attitude. If everyone gave, no one would be weary because there would be more than enough. There are blessings that follow giving but that should not be the leading reason why anyone gives. God instructed that we give; responding to that simple instruction is what is important to God. It takes faith to relate with God, to believe His word even when there is seemingly no palpable blessing attached.
Many people will be trooping to various tents, camp grounds and basilicas tonight to herald the New Year; some preachers have advertised their programs as epic in nature and almost a prerequisite to cross over into the New Year. There will be a lot of cajoling tonight to step up your offering but whatever the attempts at manipulation please do willingly give because you are truly grateful and believe that you are only alive because of grace. There are those who do not feel like leaving their enclaves tonight for church because they feel inadequate or do not expect anything but gymnastics; some want to party all night or do so after church. There may just be a life changing word or experience tonight, some people may just meet friends and family members and discover fresh reasons to be thankful.
Gratitude comes naturally to the human being; it is not something to be repressed because one may think no one is deserving of it. Religion may attempt to condemn those who will not make it for one reason or the other to church because of ill health, work, travel or unbelief; what is important right now is that our hearts are first of all thankful for everything good or bad that we have experienced in 2015. That should be the bedrock of anything we do and give tonight for those who will be in church; we should not think we are entitled to see 2016 because of whatever we do or give. It is not necessarily right or wrong if anyone does not regard today, tomorrow or any day at all specially; what is more important is gratitude and how we spend each day to positively affect lives.
Happy New Year all, I hope we will not be weary of giving and doing good to all and sundry without any prejudice.
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