They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. – 2 Kings 12:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 13, 2013): 2 Kings 12

In fiscal politics, there often seems to be a tug of war between those that want to manage the nation’s expenses and those that want to raise the tax load on the people. But our reality is that in any nation or organization that is growing, the result of growth is that finances will tend to be tight. But that does not make the managing of the finances any easier.

The church’s finances – as was the situation with the Temple before her - have always been dependent on the generosity of the people. The change that is possible is really in the hands of those who contribute to the common purse. But there is another reality. There have been times when the church has been guilty of abusing the generosity of her people. There have been times when high profile church leaders have been more concerned with their own comfort than the purpose that forms the reason for the churches existence on the planet. A number of years ago I listened as a Los Angeles Pastor defended his own high salary. His defense was that he preached a gospel of wealth and prosperity, so why should he not share in that wealth. But his truth was that many that gave to his ministry lived closer to the poverty line than any of them would probably want to admit – after all, in these circles a lack of money was an indication of a lack of faith.

This short statement about the rebuilding of the Temple indicates that Joash had found honest men to be in charge of the repairs of the temple. The truth was that this was not the first time that repairs to the temple had been attempted. And it had never been a lack of finances that had resulted in the failure of the temple restoration projects. The failure had been in the hands of those that handled the money. That was the reality that during the reign of Joash had changed. Joash found honest men to handle the money, and this one reality resulted in real repairs to a broken down Temple.

Our fiscal circumstances are never just about the income or the expenses. It has to be about both. When the people are generous and the organization is honest and responsible – there will be enough money. And this principal definitely works for the purposes of the church – and I believe that it should also work well with our nations. But God’s financial plan requires good people on both sides of the equation.     

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 13