It’s a touchy subject. In our culture, it is considered impolite to ask people about their salary, their savings, or other matters of personal finance. Because it is, well, personal. It’s not anyone else’s business.

There are exceptions, of course. You discuss those matters with other people when you take out a loan, apply for a credit card, plan your estate, or set up a retirement account. We get past the awkwardness because it’s usually a discussion with a representative of an organization we chose to help us with a specific situation, instead of a close friend or relative. In fact, you might choose to get insurance from a relative stranger over working through your nephew the insurance agent specifically because you don’t want to disclose the value of your home to someone in the family.

Since the subject of me and my money is taboo for discussions with my friends and family, we get uncomfortable when the church wants to talk about stewardship. These are my friends, and some of them might even be actual family. Besides, I get along well with the pastor, so why meddle with that relationship by talking about my money?

Okay, I acknowledge all of that. But I do so in my capacity as the stewardship director of the Conference, who is responsible to talk about that touchy subject with people whom I consider to be friends. Friends who are involved in the same mission with me to tell the world about Jesus. And my responsibility to address this topic is not to the Conference who hired me to do it. It is, rather, to God who called me into ministry that I am responsible.

“Christ was an educator, and his ministers, who represent him, should be educators. When they neglect to teach the people their obligation to God in tithes and offerings, they neglect one important part of the work which their Master has left them to do … ” (Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5, p. 256).

So, there it is. My Master left me a work to do, and part of that work is educating people about tithes and offering. You know, stewardship. And not me only, but all who would bear the title of minister, whether employed as a full-time pastor or not, have this responsibility. If we represent him, we have an obligation to tell others the wonderful news that everyone who comes to Christ is called to be involved in the mission, and that part of that mission is accomplished by the joyful giving of those who are called.

I can’t imagine any of Christ’s followers who would say they don’t desire to be like Jesus. If we take His name by calling ourselves Christians, it is understood that we want to follow his example, do what he did, be like him. And what is at the core of who God is and what he is like, whether in the person of the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit?

“For God so loved the world that he GAVE … .”

The very nature of God involves giving. He gave us life, gave us a planet to inhabit, gave us his Son to redeem us. He continues to give us sustenance, relationships, hope. He will soon return to give us a way out of this mess we have made of all he has given.

God loves, so if you want to be like him, you must love. God forgives, so if you want to be like him, you must forgive. God is patient, so if you want to be like him, you must be patient. Whatever he is, if you want to be like him, you must also be that.

There is no denying that along with all of these and so many other attributes, God gives. It naturally follows then that if you want to be like him, you must give.

My fellow ministers in the various departments of the Rocky Mountain Conference take their responsibilities seriously, so we are putting out this issue of Mountain Views on that very touchy subject of money. It is our prayer that you can experience the joy of generosity in part so that we might all know that in giving, we become more like our Father. There are many reasons for us to give, but the best one I can think of is because he gives.

Doug Inglish is RMC stewardship director. Email him at: dougi@rmcsda.org