One of the foundational affirmations of the Judeo/Christian faith is the belief that we, human beings, are created in the image of God. It is a remarkable statement, really. The implications are overwhelming. It is also somewhat ambiguous as to its meaning. To speak about God at all is to engage in speculation and conjecture. To speak about specific characteristics of God requires the use of metaphor. But to say that we cannot speak with absolute certainty or clarity about God in no way diminishes either the appropriateness or the necessity for such speech. What, then, might the writer of Genesis have had in mind when he declares, "So God created humankind in God’s image" (Genesis 1:27) There are a variety of possible answers, many of which are potentially useful in helping us understand both God and ourselves. But at the very least, I believe it must mean that we share with God some core characteristics -- defining qualities, if you will. So, for example, to speak about the love of God or the compassion of God is to speak also about similar capacities which are built into the very fabric of who we are as human beings. We don’t always live up to our potential in such areas, but the capacity, even the need, is always present. And when we ignore or even deny our spiritual heritage, there is sense of something out of place or missing, in our lives and/or in the world.

And one such characteristic which we have inherited from God is a basic need to give. It is part of what makes us human. We find evidence of this quality in God throughout the scriptures. In the creation stories of Genesis, God gives life to the world and specifically to humanity. Throughout the Old Testament God makes covenants with the people, which is a form of giving self in relationship. There is water and manna in the wilderness. And finally in the New Testament there is the gift of Jesus Christ. Giving is a defining characteristic of God. And we have been created in God’s image. To the extent that we make giving a part of the way in which we live our lives, we are allowing ourselves to become more closely aligned with our original design specifications. And to the extent that we ignore or deny that part of who we are, we create a situation in which we are in conflict with our own nature.

This may well be what Jesus was saying when he spoke about the losing and saving of one’s life. When we become overly concerned about preserving and protecting that which we perceive to be ours (those who want to save their life), we begin to lose sight of what is really important in life -- namely the connections with those around us and with God which can only be established and nourished and maintained when we risk giving ourselves away. Indeed, it is when we take such risks and stop being so concerned about keeping what we think is ours that we start to discover the true richness of life for which we were created.

Air (and specifically oxygen) is a necessary ingredient for us to live. Without it, we very quickly die. But we cannot grab hold of it and contain it. It slips easily through our fingers. We cannot even take it into our lungs and hold it there. That would quickly prove as fatal as not breathing it in at all. To enjoy the benefits of the air around us, we must simply let go of our need to control. We breath it in and breath it out. We enjoy the touch of it on our skin in a breeze.

So it is with all of the gifts of life which God shares with us. To the extent that we seek to hoard them, contain them and control them, they lose their power for life and become instruments of enslavement and death instead. But to the extent that we are willing to share them and give them away, they are freed to bring us life. We receive the gift of love from another person in our life. If we cling too tightly to that love we will either drive the person away or smother them until they cease to be the person who offered us the love in the first place. But when we receive their love freely and share it just as freely, we not only nourish that relationship, but also encourage relationships with others as well, since love attracts love. We receive the gift of time, perhaps in the form of an unexpected afternoon with no particular responsibilities. If we seek to protect it too closely, it can be quickly lost with nothing much to show for it. But when we share our unexpected time by spending it with someone else, perhaps helping them with a difficult task or maybe simply being with them in a tough time, we soon discover that we are blessed with wonderful memories and a sense of having made a difference. We receive the gift of money, whether in the form of a pay check, or perhaps a present from a friend or relative. If we try to keep it to ourselves, it might purchase something essential like food, or it might purchase something frivolous like the latest new electronic gadget. In either case, we would probably enjoy it, but if that is all we ever did with the money we receive, we would eventually find ourselves cut off from the people around us. But when we choose to also share some of what we receive for people and projects beyond ourselves, then we enrich not only their lives, but ours as well.

We are people who have been created in the image of God -- loving, caring, giving. And we have been richly and abundantly blessed -- with time, talents and treasures of all kinds. To practice giving for living does not mean that we must give away everything we have in order to truly experience life. It simply means that as we are willing to open up and share not only who we are but what we have, we begin to build the foundation upon which a life filled with true relationships can be established. And it is within such relationships that we discover what life is meant to be. May we become people whose living is shaped and transformed by our giving.

“Give until it hurts!” That is one of those sayings which I don’t remember learning. It has simply become one of those things which I’ve always known. Unfortunately, it is also really bad advise. While it is true that we sometimes talk about giving in terms of sacrifice, I do not believe that it has to hurt. In fact, there is probably something missing from the picture if we think that giving is best measured by how much it hurts. That is certainly not how the ancient Hebrew people understood it. Based on their own writings, they might say that a more helpful phrase would be “Give until it feels good!”

The Old Testament book of Deuteronomy is a collection of the laws and principles by which the people of Israel sought to guide and direct their lives. The passage from that book which we read this morning was intended to offer guidance in the area stewardship -- defining life enhancing ways in which we can handle our income and our possessions. The approach is really quite simple. Throw a party! Enjoy life! Celebrate the gifts which God has given you! Do not allow the routines of life (like earning a living) to become an oppressive burden. Remember that all of life is a gift from God and should be celebrated. But it is also absolutely essential that you remember to include two invitations to this party. It is important for God to be there. And it is important to include the outsiders, the outcasts and those who are less fortunate. God’s presence is vital because it is important for us to stay connected with the source of our life and our blessings. When we fail to keep God in the picture we run the risk of becoming arrogant -- convinced that we are self-sufficient and don’t need anyone else. The presence of the outcasts and outsiders is vital because it is important to remember that we are not alone on this planet. When we fail to include them in the party we run the risk of becoming closed off and unable to receive the gifts which God would offer us through our relationships with those around us.

God has created us to be giving people. God has given us an abundance of gifts which are intended to be shared. Thus understood, stewardship becomes our full participation in God’s all-inclusive, never-ending party-to-beat-all-parties -- otherwise known as life! It is not simply something we think about once a year as a way of preparing for next year’s church budget. It is not simply something we think about once a week when the offering plate is passed during worship. Stewardship is more than something we do -- it is something which defines who we are. It is a way of life.

Jesus knew about this kind of stewardship. He made sure to point it out to his disciples. They sat in Jerusalem, across from the temple, and watched people making their contributions. There were some who gave large sums of money. There were others who gave so little that is might easily be dismissed as worthless. But Jesus saw beyond the volume of the gifts to the value of the gifts. It is important to note that he did not criticize those who contributed much. But his observation put things into perspective. He lifts up the widow who contributes the two almost worthless coins because her gift demonstrated that stewardship for her involved a complete commitment. She offered nothing less than all that she had and all that she was. Her giving did not come out of convenience or habit. It came out of conviction and confidence and commitment. It was, for her, a way of life.

It is not necessary to give away everything we have. But it is essential that we give up our tight grip of control over it. Practicing “giving for living” as a way of life means learning to truly enjoy the life we have been given and to enjoy sharing it with those around us, in as wide a circle as possible. It doesn’t take much to be a faithful steward, but it does require a commitment of our whole self. It has been said that stewardship is everything we do with everything we have. So making it a way of life means that we will give away some of what we have. And it means we will be intentional about how we use what we keep. And it means we will celebrate both with what we give away and with what we keep. May we discover abundant life filled with God’s blessings for us and for all the world as we learn to give ourselves away. May giving become for us a way of life.