Did you know there are more than 50,000 storage facilities around the world? They go by many names: U-store, Self-store, you name it — it seems we see them everywhere these days. We have plenty of
options for keeping all of our stuff secure.
Did you also know there’s a reason we seem to see those storage facilities everywhere? 46,000 of them — more than 90% — are right here in the United States! Most of the rest of the world doesn’t seem to be nearly as concerned about storing up their possessions. We even make television shows like Spike TV’s Auction Hunters and the wildly popular A&E show Storage Wars and about stuff that has been stored and then abandoned. Yet it seems the more STUFF we get, the more we want to store away.
But Jesus guides us with these words, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;” (NRSV Matthew 6:19) What if, instead of building bigger storage facilities to hold the things God has given us, we invested in relationships and loving acts of kindness and mercy? What if we used His resources to help those most in need, instead of hoarding it all for ourselves? What if our generous giving became a conduit through which God’s love could flow to a hurting world?
As we prepare during March, let’s ask ourselves this question: Does God’s blessing pass through us or just stop with us? One thing is certain — no storage space could ever be big enough to contain His love if we let if flow to others through our own generous giving. You are invited to give generously so God’s love may flow through you so you may find lasting treasure that needs no earthly storage container.
When you give to your local church those funds support that ministry and the work of the UMC globally. Through our church’s apportionments, the UMC is able to create relationships and ministries with communities around the world. Every dollar that is collected is shared between the local church, annual conference, general funds, and general church apportionments.
