God52 - Extravagant Giving

The first challenge for the year was extravagant giving. Push yourself to give until it hurts.This caught my attention immediately and sparked my interest. All through December I was being challenged about where my priorities lie. What do I spend most of my time and money doing? The answer was pretty clear: My computer & computer games.

Now there is nothing basically wrong with entertainment. There's nothing wrong with having an outlet for relaxation. But anything and everything can become an idol that keeps us from God

Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
    and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
    for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
    and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
    preserve my life according to your word.
Fulfill your promise to your servant,
    so that you may be feared.
Take away the disgrace I dread,
    for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts!
    In your righteousness preserve my life.  Psalm 119:33-40

Oh how I wish that this was my attitude and desire! To long to obey God in all things."Turn my eyes away from worthless things" - that's the verse that hit me. How much time have I wasted on worthless computer games? Time that could be better spent! I had many plans for my December holiday break. Many things I wanted to get done around the house. Come 7 January and none were done. I wasted so much time!

Well, this tied in nicely with the challenge for week 1. Here I had a solution to the idolatry problem my computer had become. Give it away... What a painful process! I've spent an awful lot of money keeping my computer up to date to be able to play the latest games. I've spent an insane amount of money on computer games over the years; quite a lot in December (thanks Holiday sales....thank a lot...). It seems like such a waste to just give it away, doesn't it?

My first attempts to find support in this endeavour were pretty disappointing. Most people I spoke to asked the same question: "Why not sell it? At least then you get some money to help support you?" This actually became a serious temptation to me. It sounds like good, wise counsel, doesn't it? But God had spoken clearly. Give it away! When someone wants to be extravagantly generous we should not question it, we should encourage it. After all, isn't that part of what we're called to do?

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44

Do we know how to give like this poor widow?

  Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matt 19:21

If your possessions are getting in the way of you reaching God, are you willing to give them away? 

It wasn't just my friends that caused temptation. I provided enough temptation to myself. I was shocked at how hard it was to remove the games in preparation. Every game I selected to uninstall called out to me. Every game tempted me to play it; How nice it would be; How much fun; How I should really finish the story to find out how it ends; How I'm just getting to the good part. Over and over I had to force myself to go on. The further I went, the more I realised just how much I was bound by these games. They truly had become an idol!

I know the challenge wasn't specifically to break down an idol (unless you consider the idol of materialism), but this is what it became for me. My computer is clean now, ready to be given away. The last hurdle is to find the right person to give it to. Until then I will disconnect it and pack it away.

Hopefully computers and computer games will never have this hold on me again.

So that is week 1. What an incredible challenge. I haven't actually given away anything yet physically, but just the process has help me give away something that was spiritually binding. I look forward to the physical giving away now!