When I was a kid we lived by simple laws like, "beggars can't be choosers." Practically applied, this rule means that if you expect me to share a Starburst, you better not complain when you get the yellow one. I suppose someone's mom probably coined the famous line while tring to stop an argument. Since those innocent days have met some very choosy beggars in my life. If we had been better informed we might have said, "beggars shouldn't be choosy."
Recently, I have been interviewing people in ministry about their philosophy and practice. One of my questions is always about money, and the answers kind of make me think about the ol' playground creed. As someone who depends on the financial partnership for ministry, do I have the right to be "choosy" about who I ask for money or from whom I accept it? Here's my two-part answer: 1) I am not a beggar and 2) I should be discerning, but not picky about incoming funds.
The reason I am posting these thoughts is because part one (I am not a beggar) was a bit of a shocking revelation to me. It is something that I should've known, and probably did know in my head, but it was a fact that was not effecting how I live or approach ministry. As a child of God and a servant of The King, I am not lacking in anyway. When we share about our ministry we give people an opporunity to partner with us and enjoy the blessings and encouragment of giving and being a part of something big. So, I am not begging. My family and I are simple waiting for God to give us what we need, when we need it.
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