Today's Church
The Seductive Siren Song of Secularism
by Father John Dresko
There never is enough, is there? No matter how much we save, no matter how little we spend, it always seems like we need more. When I was in college, I got hooked up with Amway - we sold the company as much as we sold their goods. One point I used as a selling point was that everyone spends as much as they take in, so wouldn't you rather be broke at $50,000 per year rather than $10,000? People not only liked that, they understood it.
In the past year and a half, I have spent numerous days and hours speaking with numerous people and thinking about giving. I have spoken to the Holy Synod of Bishops, the Metropolitan Council, diocesan assemblies, parish assemblies, parish councils and individuals from throughout North America. I have traversed from Alaska to Dallas, from Edmonton to Mississippi, from San Francisco to Boston.
Uniformly, there are problems at every level of Church life in regards to giving. First of all, there is never enough to do all the things we want to do. Then, there is competition for giving between the various levels of Church: central, diocesan, parish, and family. Finally, there is a general feeling that even when we try to be generous, "someone somewhere" either wastes our money or spends it on priorities with which we disagree.
In reality, there is simply one problem: we have been seduced by the bounty of our society and the whispers that bounty places in our ear that changes "wants" to "needs." We have become increasingly secular in our world outlook and in the goals we set for ourselves, our lives, and our Church. "God" has ceased being the Tri-personal God who revealed Himself to us, leading us to the Kingdom of Heaven. Instead, our "God" is the pursuit of success, material goods and "security," all of which is in opposition to God's word and promise to us. We don't give generously to God and the Church because giving generously would interfere with our goals.
When we depend upon ourselves instead of God, it is futile. Not only futile in providing "security" for ourselves, but also in providing for the needs of the Church.
St. Paul faced the same realities in the first century:
The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. (2 Cor. 9:6-9)
St. Paul makes the following points in this passage:
1) the benefits and growth we see from our giving is in direct proportion to the gift. When we are cheap with God, we see cheap results. And, alternatively, when we are generous with God, we see wondrous results.
2) All giving must be voluntary because God gives us blessings in order to see what we do with them. When we are forced to give, it is the fulfillment of an obligation. When we give voluntarily, it is a snapshot of our soul. And "God loves a cheerful giver." Voluntary giving is also a judgment - our eternal salvation depends on what we voluntarily do with what God has given to us.
3) God provides us with "every blessing in abundance," not so we can kick back and enjoy life, but "so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work." God makes sure we have what we need to survive, but abundance is given so that we can fund good works. God provides enough for everything - but we often greedily deny Him the use of His own blessings. We conveniently convert a luxury we "want" into a "need" we cannot live without.
The problem with the seductive siren song of secularism is that we live as if God didn't exist - and don't even realize it. As a matter of fact, we convince ourselves that we are "good Christians." And even if we don't consciously "think" God doesn't exist, we don't believe His word through the Apostle and we don't trust Him to provide what is needed. We hold onto (hoard) the blessings God has given us because we don't trust that He will replace them when we let go. We think that they belong "to us."
The Apostle continues:
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God; for the rendering of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints but also overflows in many thanksgivings to God. Under the test of this service, you will glorify God by your obedience in acknowledging the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others; while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (2 Cor. 9:10-15)
Here, St. Paul speaks to our human, indeed fallen, concerns. He reminds us that it is God who provides everything. A secularist thinks we have control over our circumstances, but we don't. Not only does God provide everything, but He will "multiply your resources and increase the harvest." When we live as if God exists and give generously from His blessings, He multiplies and increases the blessings. It is counterproductive by simple math to be cheap. When we give more, more is given to us! It is the test of our service to the Lord and His Church, according to the Apostle. We will be "enriched in every way for great generosity."
Often, we want glory when we give, as if it is something extraordinary. But St. Paul reminds us of where the true glory is when he reminds us that we "will glorify God by your obedience in acknowledging the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution." Man was created to give glory and praise to His Creator. One of the basic ways, we give glory is in the generosity (or lack thereof) of our gift. Our gift concretely demonstrates what we really think of God.
Finally, in summing up this passage of his second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul does not give thanks to the Corinthians for their generous gifts - he gives it to God! "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!"
It is so tempting to listen to the beautiful melodies that this world sings into our ears. We can so easily be convinced that we are "making our own way" in this world. But the Scriptures are clear, the Apostle is clear, God Himself is clear. Nothing we have is ours - it all belongs to God. When we hold on to it, squeeze it, hoard it, we will lose it. But when we let go, when we give generously, freely and cheerfully to fund the work of the saints (the Church), it is not only given to us, but multiplied and increased. We get by giving, we save by losing. That is the word of the Lord.
A secularist is one who lives as if God doesn't exist. Aren't we called to much more than that? It would be so easy if we could prove our faith, trust and obedience by simply saying to God that we love Him, we believe in Him, and we desire nothing other than to follow Him. God expects us not only to say it - but to show it - by literally putting our money where our mouths are.
(Fr. John Dresko is Editor of Orthodox New England and Rector of Holy Trinity Church in New Britain, CT. He is also the Assistant to the Treasurer of the Orthodox Church in America for the development of Fair Share Giving.)