Pastor Curt's November/December 2025 Newsletter

Dr. Mark Powell addressed his seminary class at the beginning of the semester, “at the end of our semester I hope that you will be the second happiest people on the face of the earth.” Studies show that “grateful” people are among the second happiest people on earth. So, I want you to become grateful, disciplining yourself in thanksgiving.”It begs the question, well then who are the happiest people on the face of the earth? “Generous” people. Generous people are always grateful people. Grateful generosity teaches our heart to trust God and keeps us from making an idol of the things God has shared with us. Generous isn’t about the amount, but the heart, like the widow giving two mites, that was all she had, for God.

The Lord isn’t the only one who loves a generous giver, we all do. A gratefully generous person would be confident that they are cared for and provided for. This is something God has promised to do for us.  A gratefully generous person would understand that as they have been provided for in abundance, that they would emulate that in sharing. Sharing builds relationship and community, not unlike a body sharing nutrients to the benefit of the whole, so the joy is expanded to and thru others.

It’s built into our job description at creation, when all life was in harmony generously sharing, before all this sin and brokenness came on the scene. “God blessed humans: Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Care for it! Be responsible for every living thing that moves on the face of the earth…” (an edit from the message Bible Genesis 1:28)

In Jesus God seems to show us, everything I have I share with you. So, give as I give to you, forgive as I forgive you, love as I love you. Freely receive, freely give. For God is a God of abundance not scarcity, and everything you have comes from God. So why would you hoard?

For selfish gain that doesn’t last?  In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus talks about stewards who were given talents, one 5, one 2, one 1. It’s not about the amount but what they did with it that Jesus highlights. Two of them were gratefully generous and doubled the amount of heavenly currency as they entered into the joy of their master. One hoarded for themselves and went bankrupt and was separated from the joy of their master.

Jesus often told parables illuding to us as stewards that have been left in charge of what belongs to the master until the master returns. How will he find them? Our time is limited. A steward is more than simply a manger. A steward has been entrusted by the owner to stay in their place, and care for their things.

Imagine, you own an established home that you’ve invested in and built up over the decades. It’s filled with priceless family memories, blood, sweat, and sacrifice. You have pets, and gardens. You have to go away and invite a young adult to “home sit” for you, happy to compensate them for their service. Their scraping to make ends meet living in their studio apartment. They settle into the luxury of your home with all the fixing’s. Imagine you come home, and the place is trashed. Of course, you’d be upset and deeply saddened. But imagine even worse they had changed the locks and claimed squatters’ rights, not even allowing you to return to your home that you’ve made.

I wonder how it is for God, when we abuse God’s creation entrusted to our care, for our own immediate gratification. When we hoard for ourselves as private treasure that which was intended to share. Not just the earth but also, our relationships with each other and God,

the love of God in Jesus Christ, our time, our talents, our bodies, our giftedness. Have we forgotten we were made for a purpose?       Forgotten that we were gracefully given the opportunity to care for all that God has made and lost track of who the owner is?

When we are gratefully generous it brings glory to God and honors His name.  May the Holy Spirit fill us with gratitude and generosity, that we might honor God and become the happiest people on earth, in a time of fearful hoarding, contention, discontent, and divide.

We will be God’s witnesses to the ends of the earth…

In the abiding hope of the open tomb,

Pastor Curt