For years my siblings and I have laughed and rolled our eyeballs over my mother. Mama just loves to "play" the market. For a woman who has never set foot on casino turf—indeed, to my knowledge doesn’t even quite know where the ‘boats’ are in Vicksburg—she does love to keep up with her portfolio. Now the eyeball-rolling comes when you realize just how Mama plays—she buys, all right, a little dab here, a little dab there, but she never sells! I think she still has some Greater Pharaoh Sand and Gravel Company shares from when the pyramids were in vogue. So, some time ago, she bought a little WorldCom, ostensibly to send Shep to dental school some day. Well, can I tell you that even if there were a dental school in Shubuta, that stock wouldn’t quite buy a cardboard box for his pencils? If one should mention this little point to the Aged Parent, she’d just laugh and write another check to French Camp.

And why not?? How can we think that the Mighty Creator God, Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, Who raises up kings (and CEOs) and nations is somehow oblivious to the size of our bank accounts, down to the last red cent? Why, it’s all HIS anyway! I know the standard line for lower giving in the church is "well, you know the market’s down," but I have never quite seen the connection. Does that mean we should trust AT&T more than the Author and Finisher of our faith? Does it mean that giving is DEPENDENT on what Wall Street is doing at the moment? Oh, friends—say it ain’t so! Surely a loss in paper money doesn’t obviate God’s command for the TITHE! And yes, even I am not so stupid that I don’t know 10% of $100 is less than 10% of $1,000. AND even I believe in prudent investment and wise counsel – if no one invested, then you’d see an economy gone so far south even a Mickey D job would achieve white-collar status.

But what about investing in GOD’S blue chips? It’s like one of those logic problems I used to love in college—our Munificent Lord gives us all things we call ours; ergo, He knows exactly to the decimal point what we have. He mandates a miniscule amount and gives us the opportunity to be obedient and faithful. And He promises to reward us just for doing what we’re supposed to do!! Oh, how I have praised God for His gracious bounty to this church! Godly pastors in all areas, from discipling and outreach

and pastoral care to teaching and preaching and wise administration; a music program so celestial it would rival the heavenlies! And that’s even before you get to a committed staff and devout members who will spend eternity together, rejoicing at the banquet table of the Lamb! Surely, we are heirs to generations of saints that The Infinite I AM has blessed us so!

But faith based on finances can fall in a millisecond! Isn’t it funny how we tend to pray the hardest when we’re in trouble, yet we tend to give the LEAST under the same circumstances? Father God! Please keep our eyes focused on our Redeemer; make us vigilant in our giving, our praying, our worship, regardless of our net worth on earth! For we are of inestimable value in Your precious eyes, worth the sacrifice of Your only Begotten Son! How dare we not surrender all? Kingdoms and the NYSE and the NASDAQ will rise and fall at God’s good pleasure; Britney Spears will grow old and wrinkled (God willing); Bernie Ebbers will face whatever music if God decides to call the relevant tune; and in His grace we will flourish in our joy and our accountability when we make Him the CEO not just of our checking accounts, but of our very existence.

by Margaret Tohill