Giving is an indicator of conviction

 

I did my a taxes a week ago. Not the last day, but yes, the last week before they were due.  That is actually pretty good for me that I am not trying to find out where the latest post office is open on April 15th.

 

When I did my taxes on Turbo Tax, the program will review your taxes for anything that might look suspicious to the IRS.

 

The only thing Turbo Tax identified out of line was my charitable giving.  It was more than 10 percent of my gross income and decidedly more that the national average, according to Turbo Tax.  But so far over the years, it has not been enough to fulfill a dream of mine.

 

So now I have a confession to make.  It is one of the goals of my life to be audited by the IRS.  Not for any fraud, but because my giving is high enough to merit a second look by them.

 

When I was a young child in summer church camp we used to sing a song, they will know we are Christians by our love.

 

One of the ways we express our Christian love is very tangible.  It is by what we give to God's people in need.  So every Christians tax return should stand out noticeably when they are examined.

 

The fact that I have not yet been audited by the IRS probably means I have a way to go in showing my Christian love.

 

One of the bumper stickers that I have enjoyed says, "If it were against the law to be Christian would they have enough evidence to convict you?"

 

They haven't outlawed being Christian, they are just mighty suspicious of people whose giving is out of line.  Of course the IRS sees it as possible evidence of fraud, but to me it is one of the best evidence that you are truly a disciple of the one who gave everything.

 

Lord,

Make me more like you and more giving every day so that by my life others may come to know you. 

Amen

 

 

 

 Copyright (c) 2005, The Rev. Dana Reardon. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Email her at mspastor@aol.com.
 

The Rev. Dana Reardon is pastor at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Warwick, RI.  A lifelong Lutheran, she came to ordained ministry after 21 years in nursing, mostly in pediatric intensive care.  She graduated from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia in 1998 and served 4 ½ years in Upstate New York before becoming a New Englander.  She is still trying to understand the accent.  While in the Upstate New York Synod she chaired the Stewardship Team.  That began her fascination with what makes stewards -- and more, what makes for generosity. She has three amazing daughters: Pastor Reardon says much of what she knows of life she learned from them.