John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, preached a sermon in 1760 entitled "The Use of Money." In it he says:
For, let the world be as corrupt as it will, is gold or silver to blame? "The love of money," we know, "is the root of all evil;" but not the thing itself. The fault does not lie in the money, but in them that use it. It may be used ill: and what may not? But it may likewise be used well: It is full as applicable to the best, as to the worst uses. It is of unspeakable service to all civilized nations, in all the common affairs of life: It is a most compendious instrument of transacting all manner of business, and (if we use it according to Christian wisdom) of doing all manner of good. ... In the hands of his children, it is food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, raiment for the naked: It gives to the traveller and the stranger where to lay his head. By it we may supply the place of an husband to the widow, and of a father to the fatherless. We maybe a defence for the oppressed, a means of health to the sick, of ease to them that are in pain; it may be as eyes to the blind, as feet to the lame; yea, a lifter up from the gates of death!
As a summary of this sermon, Wesley says "Having, First, gained all you can, and, Secondly saved all you can, Then give all you can."
That sounds so simple and obvious!
Earn what you can (work industriously), save where you can (live simply) and give all you can (generously). Wouldn't life be easier if we followed this simple rule? (No credit cards in John Wesley's time!)
It is said that Wesley took in incredibly large sums of money through donations, books, preaching fees, etc. In one year, he made an equivalent of $1.4 million dollars. So he certainly knew about earning all he could.
In today's reading we see the famous widow and her measly mite. She has nothing to gain and no one probably lived more plainly than she did. Yet she gives all she can. In fact, she gives all she has.
What an amazing example of generosity! She may not have had the largest gift, but it was the most important one in Jesus' eyes. It was the only one, in fact, that counted to him. She gave from her poverty and it meant something.
So what about Wesley and his millions. How did he stack up? He tithed 98% of his earnings that year. Gave it all away for the very things he listed above.
DAILY CHALLENGE: What is one thing you could do to live more simply so you could give more generously?
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