Do Good, Give and Beseech
Target has caught my attention. They have always had a top notch marketing team, turning out commercials that are creative, eye-catching and memorable. The trend continues with their new campaign… Do % Good. A community focused department of Target that gives 5% of all revenue earned to charity, educational programs and the betterment of surrounding communities.
They mention $3 Million a week goes to the communities, but I love the fact that they focus on the 5%… wanna know why? Cause its a solid number… its tangible and obtainable… a measly 5%… it’s not going to break the bank, and it’s not going to effect the rest of the budget… I wonder if a church would be so bold. It’s a measly five percent that could make a world of difference. Sure we may have to sacrifice something, but not much. Maybe hold off on buying the new plasma TV that loops the announcements in the hallway. Perhaps wait on the newest software upgrade for a month or two. Maybe reduce every other piece of the budget by less than a percent (I’m sure every church has more than 5 departments that are budgeted)… it’s a measly five percent…
Today I’m walking around Barnes and Noble and I see a book by none other than Christian-nemesis Bill Clinton. I haven’t read the book (Giving, released end of September), but the premise is outstanding and more closely resembles Christ’s call to action than many of the “self-help” Christian books I read that focus on how I can be a better Christian… you know, pray, read, study, tithe, worship, love, etc… all nice and encouraging…
I know there are tons of churches out there who are doing at least this much and are trying to live out Jesus’ call to serving and sacrifice. It just seems that maybe churches who aren’t doing any good at all seem to find their way into the news…
Prof. Ted Smith at Chapel last night put it to us this way. At the end of Matthew 9 Jesus is moved with compassion on the hurting (verses 35-38)…
Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
I choose the NASB because of one word… beseech…. From Dictionary.com:
1. to implore urgently
2. to beg eagerly for; solicit.
3. to make urgent appeal
I’m still learning to beseech and have compassion for the hurting and those in need, but its time to take the next step… Matthew 10, Jesus calls the very ones who were doing the beseeching…
and still i wonder, where is the church in all this? after all… it’s a measly 5%
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Very nice.