THE TREASURY OF THE LORD

Although we were not redeemed by corruptible things such as silver and gold, we cannot escape from their use in the service of God. Indeed, there is something satisfying in the thought that the world's monies can be put to other-worldly uses. It is our privilege to consecrate what we have of this world's goods to the service of the Giver of all things.

Even the liberated Israelites, who came out of Egypt in great haste, brought with them the spoils of that land. This was done at God's command and by His foresight: silver and gold and precious stones were needed for a holy service. Long before they reached the promised land the Lord instituted for Israel a system of taxation. Many years later on it was still remembered and is described as "the tax that Moses the servant of the Lord laid upon Israel in the wilderness". Their system of worship, including the priests and the Levites, was supported at God's command by a standard levy, the half shekel of redemption, and in addition by a kind of income tax. The redemption money, given at the time of numbering, was expressly appointed for the service of the tabernacle. The income tax, levied of an agricultural community, was of their produce by a system of tithing. By these and other means support was guaranteed for the spiritual service.

There were, too, special appeals and days of thank offering: appeals like those for precious metals, skins, jewels, fabric when the tabernacle was to be built, and, later, when the temple was being made or restored. Men gave what was their own unto the Lord who possesses all things. The thank offerings were different: in these the individual or the nation felt moved by spontaneous generosity without obligation of any kind. The Lord loved their cheerfulness in giving. The aged David was denied the privilege of building the temple: but his Lord did not deny him the privilege of giving. A thousand years later we see the named and nameless saints of the first century selling all that they have in unrestrained fellowship with their brethren and their Master.

Thus throughout the ages both by command and willing desire corruptible man has entered his earthly treasure in the divine account where the capital is safe and the interest beyond computation.

So in our own day there remains the need for money and materials for the service of our God. There is the rent or purchase of room or hall, its furnishing, decoration and maintenance; there are the poor, the aged, the children and young people to whom we have especial responsibility: the word must be preached, the meetings advertised, speakers carried to and fro: there are the funds collected centrally for special homes, special causes and special occasions: there are, too, our expressions of care for great and small causes outside our own community.

How do we give ? How much do we give ? We should give willingly and without grudging as though giving were, as indeed it is, a service to Christ personally. How much ? That depends upon the giver. There is a twin gauge: our ability to give (our means and income) and our spirit (our liberality or otherwise).

There are not many poor these days-at least not in countries like Britain and America and Australia. There are not many fabulously rich-and none in our number. For the most part we belong to the middle class who do not depend upon a crust of bread but who need to keep an account of income and expenditure.

Our ecclesial funds will depend therefore upon fairly similar amounts given by all of us. There will be differences of course between the amounts given by pensioners and those at the height of their earning power. Setting those differences aside and taking fully into account our ability or otherwise to pay, do we give as we should ? Does the money we pay for the week's newspapers and magazines exceed our contribution to the Lord ? Do we try to measure up to our responsibilities, denying ourselves, if need be, when special demands fall upon us ? Does the rising cost of living and the regular increase in wages find us giving a corresponding increased amount in our weekly allocation to God ? Does an increment in pay, an improvement in our position, an unexpected windfall, see us giving happily our portion to the Lord ?

Some communities use tithes by which to bring in the monies they need: others are employing business men with a flair for touching people's hearts and pockets and finding their annual income increased by thousands of pounds. We do none of these things and, perhaps, rightly so. But let not our own system of giving be a cloak for minimum contributions. The left hand may not know what the right hand gives, but the Lord knows.

There is ample scope for improvement in our giving. There is blessedness in it, if we truly believe the Lord. Let us recapture some of the joyfulness of those who have gone before. If the "fear of the Lord is our treasure" then we shall esteem other treasures of little value until they are used as in the presence of God. As the service of God is the only true antidote to idolatry, so unselfishness and generosity are the cure for covetousness and self-seeking.

The man who accounts his money as being the talent which the Lord has given him will be afraid of hiding it by keeping it merely for his own use. If we are merely moneychangers the Lord will overthrow our tables when he suddenly conies to his temple. If we think that godliness is a way of gain only in this life then we shall find we have lost everything when the Son of God returns.

As we need to collect monies for the service of the Truth so we must use and account for our funds in a becoming manner. The treasurer is the Lord's servant. Let him so esteem himself. He has great predecessors in office who were accounted among the noble workers for God. Stephen was one of seven men appointed to see to the proper use of funds. His qualities are given in three phrases: he was full of the Holy Spirit, full of grace and full of faith. What a treasurer! He used those qualities in looking after the widows and the needy, and God chose him to be the first witness to his stewardship by death.

Let the treasurer be diligent in his business. His accounts should be well kept, up-to-date and accurate. When he presents his quarterly statement to the ecclesia let him state it simply so that it conveys something to the average man. He needs no complex system of book-keeping, no juggling with commercial jargon, but a simplicity of record and report which will give an understandable account of what has been collected, and what has been spent, how much is left, where it is and what bills are expected or are on hand unpaid.

A treasurer who is alive to his task will keep the arranging brethren informed of rise and fall in income and outgoings, point out special needs, remind the ecclesia of special outside causes to which they normally contribute at different times of the year, and generally be on top of his job.
He will pay the ecclesial bills promptly and with grace. He will not await second and final demands before discharging these necessary duties. Visiting speakers will be paid without fuss, not on the platform at the Breaking of Bread or lecture, but quietly and readily. Not with-"Do we owe you anything ?" (and that sometimes in the presence of other brethren and sisters), but with a simple, straightforward payment of the debt the ecclesia has incurred.

There should be an auditor. It is not that dishonesty is suspected but that good stewardship is required of us. Accounts properly kept, with an initialled record of all collections, properly receipted bills, the bank books and cash in hand properly produced to the brother appointed as auditor, will lift the matter into its rightful place. Jesus said, "The witness of two men is true" -and, oddly enough, he said that in the treasury.

Of course money is not everything (though it is surprising how quickly it awakens dull business meetings when more important matters do not stir us). It is merely one of the lesser tools in a great service. But tools are necessary and should be cared for and properly used.

Judas was a treasurer. Stephen was one of seven. The difference lay in their attitude to their Master. Judas thought he was not looking! Stephen was glad he was. Each of us is a treasurer for the Lord. If we do not belong to ourselves then surely what we have is not ours either. It is all his. Let us use it aright-our homes, our incomes, our all.

An unfaithful wife once said concerning her husband: "He hath taken a bag of money with him and will come home at the day appointed". What does the Bride say of her Beloved ? Truly in Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge, and he will come at the day appointed. Shall we be among the unfaithful stewards who have robbed God ? Or will the bounty of the Lord be ours when "He opens unto us his treasure"? 