Prayer in a time of financial crisis

Does insecurity make me more self-seeking and less caring about the needs of others, lessening my humanity, clouding my sense that people matter more than money? Or does this worldwide turmoil strengthen my compassion? Poverty is not good in itself, but where it leads to a deeper dependence on God and coexists with generosity it can be a rare grace www.sacredspace.ie

Learning generosity in a season of financial insecurity is a real challenge. As a global recession dawns there seems to be an invitation to greater compassion. I am grateful for many from whom I have had the chance to learn about being grateful and then generous. To transition from being financially secure to being insecure has been a worry yet now I see people matter more. Friends in trouble and in difficulty count more. Fellow staff struggling in their own financial-support-raising bring from me not mere sympathy but a desire to be generous. Somehow over the years I have noticed the faith of those with less seems so much more authentic than those with more. I still struggle with the financial vulnerability even though I am not really poor but I am dependent on God and others to respond to his call. But I remain challenged by people like Wisnu, a fellow student, who insisted on paying for our lunch because that day he had 20 dollars.

People bemoan the lack of teaching on tithing but perhaps what we need is a greater prophetic voice to remind us that all we are and have is not ours but is held in trust. If we understand God as generous then perhaps we need to also live that out. That is the challenge of the parable of the talents.

'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' Matt 20:13-15