Rev. George Miller
Oct 27, 2024
1 Kings 5:1-7
Today we are going to discuss the “Power
Of The Gift,” an economic movement that is studying how non-profits have a way
to influence the local economy more than we realize.
But first- a story.
A few weeks ago, I had a positive
experience at a local business. Each of
the staff talked to me. The owner came
over to see if I needed anything. At checkout,
the cashiers asked who I was, so I shared about St. Lucas UCC.
I posted this experience on Facebook, tagging
the store. The owner replied with thanksgiving.
Immediately, a private message appeared
from a pastor informing me the place was anti-LGBTQ.
They had visited the store to solicit
funds for a PRIDE event and received an earful from the owner.
My thought was “Well, did you buy anything
from them before asking for money? Did
you establish a relationship beforehand, or did you come in cold, expecting
cash?”
14 years in a small town taught me that
relationships matter. One way to
navigate the fact that many people have many opinions about many things, is to
show your support for local businesses.
Could be a Facebook post; could be spending
your money.
It's hard to show hate or judge someone if
they’re publicly cheering you on.
Caring for the local economy is part of my
understanding of ministry.
Which is why it’s so exciting that on
November 3, St. Lucas is offering chicken potpies from Lyndia’s House.
These meals are made by survivors of abuse
who are employed in a safe environment.
Each pie cost $6, which is a great
deal. But here is the cool thing- when
you purchase local, about 70% stays in the community.
So when you buy your Lydia’s House pot pie
next week, you’re not just supporting a vital local ministry, or empowering
women-
you are ensuring that 70 cents stays right
here in St. Louis county to bless other businesses and employees.
In other words, you are not just buying a
pot pie at church, you are participating in the “Gift Economy.”
How many of us have ever thought about the
economic impact St. Lucas has in our community?
The people we employ who use their
paycheck to pay rent, buy groceries, purchase clothes?
The laborforce we support, from those who
clean the building at night, to unlocking our doors on Sunday morning?
All the items we purchase to keep our ministry
going, from the ink in our printers to the paper for the bulletins to the
utility bills and care for the grounds?
We think we are giving to a ministry or a
building or a salary.
But when giving to St. Lucas, have we ever
thought that we are also empowering the local economy and playing a part in
ensuring there are jobs and purchasing power?
Financially blessing the local community
is just as valid as blessing the community through care, worship, and mission.
This is a huge part of what’s happening in
today’s reading.
King David wanted to build a Temple, but God
said “no.”
But now we have his son, Solomon, who has
been gifted with wisdom and insight.
King Solomon uses that wisdom so wisely
that God tells him it is time to build the Temple.
And what does King Solomon do? He uses the construction of the Temple to
develop strong international relationships, create jobs, and enrich the
economy.
Isreal is known for agriculture and
traveling routes to Asia and Africa, but they’re not know for building or
construction supplies.
So Solomon contacts the King of Tyre,
North of Isreal. “Hey- you are known for
having the best wood and best craftsmen. No one knows how to cut limber like
your people. Let’s enter into a
commercial agreement.”
King Solomon is smart. What a great way to keep peace with a
neighboring country- create a commercial alliance while stroking their
ego.
King Solomon paid Tyre with 125,000
bushels of wheat and 115,000 gallons of olive oil each year. This went on for 7 years.
Next, Solomon calls upon his workforce to
work with Trye.
There’s stones to be cut, logs to be
shipped, bronze to be turned into pillars, stairways to be built, doors to be
carved, and a spacious sanctuary to design.
By building the Temple, King Solomon not
only creates an alliance with the nearby king, he creates about 150,000 jobs
for cooks, captains; employing folk who work in quarries, transit, artists who crafting
bowls, plates, cups used in worship.
King Solomon has them work in shifts- for every
month at work they get two months at home.
All these people got to be paid; they got
to be fed.
Imagine what those 2 months off were like;
how the workers used that money to spend and bless their own local economy.
King Solomon’s building of the Temple
wasn’t just about God, it was also about bringing peace between kingdoms,
keeping the local economy afloat and using the skillsets of those around him.
What a unique form of ministry; what a way
to use wisdom to bless others and go beyond the walls of a building.
King Solomon was a spiritual entrepreneur
who understood the power of “the gift” thousands of years before modern
economists began discussing the topic.
Imagine if we began to see our gifts to charities,
non-profits, and St. Lucas the same way.
We aren’t just giving to a place, but we
are participating in a Gift Economy in which what we give has a life that
continues to give and give to others.
…and actually, we don’t have to imagine,
because we know.
For the past few weeks, the young adults
of St. Lucas, under the leadership of Amy and Lynn have been busy making and
selling their apple dumplings.
To do so, they spent $473 on apples; 7 of
11 bushels from Rendleman Orchards.
$536 was spent on supplies.
The youth made 200 pans; sold 180, which
totals at least $5,400 to fund their 2025 Mission Trip
40 pans of dumplings were purchased by one
person to give to the staff of the local company they own, which totals $1,200.
So if 70% of money spent at a locally
owned business goes back into the community, that means the apples we purchased
for $536 created another $375.
And the $1,200 spent by the local businessperson
has the potential to create another $840.
To this- we say “Bravo” to our Youth, to
Amy, to Lynn for creating such a moment in which we can see and experience how
our gifts actually gift more than just us, but those around us.
King Solomon used his wisdom to not only
offer praise to God, but to bless the community.
Our youth found a way to use their
resources to not only fund their mission but to support local business.
And next week, when we purchase our delicious
chicken pot pies from Lydia’s House we are not just supporting an invaluable
ministry,
we are supporting local jobs and our local
economy.
What a great way to do ministry; what a great
way to transform lives as the hands and feet of Christ.
For that, let us say “Amen.”
No comments:
Post a Comment