By Rev. Phyllis BowersExecutive Director of The United Methodist Stewardship Foundation
“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes. The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.” — Proverbs 27:19-21
We want our lives to reflect our heart and to offer others a chance to see Jesus in us. Our eyes unfortunately can be larger than our heart, telling us we can never be satisfied even when we have the love of Jesus and the grace of God. Accumulating resources can then become an addiction, leaving us wanting more things rather than God. Praise can also become a character and heart breaker, leading us to go after the wrong things too. We can lose much when we praise the wrong things, seek the praise of people, or give praise for the wrong reasons.
Planned giving is important because we focus on God’s praise, acting on the love in our hearts and giving for the glory of God instead of ourselves. We are showing courage and decisiveness, wisdom in our plans and commitment in our discipleship. We give that keeps giving after our lives are lived in on earth.
Some will point out the rewards of giving such as tax breaks, awards, thank-you cards, and prestige. Yet we can give in ways that only God sees. When we give a legacy that helps others at times we are not present to receive their accolades, God receives the praise. With this planned giving we don’t chase after self-importance or let our minds linger on our acts of generosity.
The importance of planned giving is to understand whose praise matters. Our lives reflect our heart and our values. We witness to these through our offering. Planned giving isn’t about calculating our benefits as we help others. True planned giving is a sacrificial act for the honor and joy of helping others when there’s no benefit but the blessing of sharing God’s love. Let us always give God our praise instead of seeking it. Call us and we’ll help you with your planned giving.
The United Methodist Stewardship Foundation
3901 Hartzdale Dr. Suite 110, Camp Hill, PA 17011
Phone 717-766-7343 Toll Free 800-272-0113
sfcpa@umstewardship.org
