When the Going Gets Tough

Kevin Davidson

When my wife and I were first married, giving was easy. We earned an excellent income, had no kids, no debt and enjoyed many of the luxuries in life. Five years later, we earned half the income, had one child, a mortgage and had to let go of many of the luxuries we were accustomed to. Would giving cheerfully and generously still be easy?

Thankfully, before marriage we discussed what our top priorities were and what they would be after marriage. Giving back to God and others was one of our top five priorities. You are probably thinking, "easier said than done.” And you are right! It is a process that a person, a couple, a family needs to work out with God and one another. The easy part is "talking the talk,” the hard part is "walking the walk,” such as saying no to the things that are easily taken for granted: hockey and theatre tickets, weekend getaways, dinners out and gifts for one another.

The value of establishing financial priorities was that they helped us distinguish between wants and needs and discouraged overspending and going into debt. When our son was born just over a year ago, my wife and I made the choice that she would stay home with him. From that decision we realized we needed to develop a budget. We separated the necessities from the luxuries. We slashed our weekly discretionary spending by 80 per cent, setup a weekly grocery budget and stopped going on mini holidays every three months. I really sacrificed; I only golfed twice last year. We even considered reducing or stopping our monthly RSP contributions and going down to one vehicle. Where are we at today? We are still a happy and blessed family; my wife stays home with our son. We eat three healthy meals per day and we still take holidays, they just look different. We also regularly review our budget to remind us of our priorities. Reducing our RSP contributions and dropping down to one vehicle are still considerations for the future, if necessary. Most importantly, we have continued to give, cheerfully and generously as the Apostle Paul holds out as the model in 2 Corinthians 9, verse 7.

So, should people going through tough times still give? Yes! Why?

Giving back to God and others is a matter of the heart. Jesus says in Matthew 6:21, "Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be”.
Giving takes the focus off of our personal circumstances. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:2-3, "Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will.”
Our Heavenly Father is aware of our individual needs and desires to fulfill them for us. Jesus says in Matthew 6:31-33 "So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ … your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Two things are certain: "when life happens,” it never takes God by surprise; God is always with us. King David says in Psalm 139, "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me … you are familiar with all my ways.” As the writer of Hebrews notes, God has given us an important promise: "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” Everyone experiences challenges. They happen for a variety of reasons but most often unexpectedly. They can be as brief as a moment or as long as a lifetime. Tough times come and go, but our values and priorities usually remain constant. My wife and I have been able to manage this challenging transition in our life through communication, prioritization and accountability.

Kevin Davidson is a consultant at the Calgary, Alberta office of Mennonite Foundation of Canada. For stewardship education and estate and charitable gift planning, contact your nearest MFC office or visit Mennofoundation.ca.