Giving to Others
Text: Luke 18:18-30
Title: Giving to Others
Thesis: Jesus gives his life so we can have eternal life
Time: Funeral –Mattax, Tom
I read not long ago an article in a leadership journal called Great Leaders. The article described the qualities of great leaders, those things that separate good leaders from great leaders. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being a good leader. Most successful leaders would be categorized as being good leaders. But there are some, though few in number, who are great leaders. They have qualities that are quite noticeable, unusual, that make possible not only their success, but that others around them also succeed.
As I hear stories about Tom, Tom was in many ways a great leader. There was a quality about him set him above others, he had what we could call a very generous spirit. He was generous in many ways –from taking extra time with his customers, turning them into friends; he gave his time and money without question to his Church family when needs arose. He gave in many ways, and always cheerfully, being an example for others of the joy and satisfaction one receives in being generous.
Tom’s generosity is more remarkable as we remember his beginnings. He was born and lived as a child in dire poverty. He had nothing, but he made something of his life. He became a test pilot, commanded a B-26 bomber in WWII, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. He went to school, becoming a pharmacist. He owned and operated his own pharmacy, Tedford Drug Store. He was the Secretary of the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy for 12 years. But along his way to becoming a success, rather than making a great name for himself, Tom gave to others along the way. His success was in having genuine care and love for other people.
The problem with the young man we read about in the Gospel of Luke 18:18-30 is that he forgets along the way to his riches and success to give to others. Sure, the rich young man who asks Jesus how one can have eternal life has money, he’s got a great career, he practices his religion faithfully, but there is something very noticeable that is missing in his life. Jesus tells the young man the thing that is missing, the quality about him keeping him from enjoying eternal life. In verse 22 we read, “When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come and follow me.” Sadly, the young man forgoes Jesus advice, and instead, he starts disagreeing with Jesus. We never hear anything else about him. He probably accumulated more riches, progressing through the ranks in his career, but all the time missing out on the one thing that would make him happy, a real success, giving to others.
So what do we gain when we give to other people? There are things we might not gain. For example, if we give someone money, they might not give us money in return. If we give our time to a church or civic club, that’s just that much more time we don’t have for our own enjoyment. So what is gained? I believe Tom Mattox is a testimony to what we gain, we gain friendship, we gain the love and support of family and friends.
I recall in one of my visits with Tom at the nursing home making a comment to Tom about the Pharmacist of the Year plaque that hang over his bed. Even though Tom had Alzheimers and couldn’t recall everything about his life, he readily talked about his store and mostly, about his customers. In his mind he was still a pharmacist and told me, “I need to get back to my customers.” He found great joy and satisfaction in caring for other people.
Some people overhear the conversation between Jesus and the rich young man. In verse 26, they ask Jesus, “Then who can be saved?” They observe this young man, a success in the world, plenty of money, a good job, he faithfully tithes and observes his religion. Jesus goes on to answer their question. He says, “What is impossible with mortals is possible for God.” Although they may not readily understand what Jesus means, it all makes sense when Jesus performs the greatest act of giving that anyone can make. As Jesus carries the cross to the top of a hill, dying on the cross as the savior of the world his words make sense. Jesus dies because of his great love, he gives his own life so that we can have eternal life.
A pastor by the name of Stu Weber tells this story about giving. “My youngest son is the third of three boys. The first two are high powered; the third is not any less high-powered, but he’s the third out of three. By the time you’ve had a brother who’s All-Conference this and another brother who’s All-Conference that, there’s not much left for you to do.
As a father, I worried about our caboose. He is the most sensitive of the three. To encourage him, I spent a lot of time with him in the outdoors –camping, hunting, fishing. Anybody who has spent time in the outdoors knows that a pocketknife is essential gear –the man with the best blade gets the job done. So, whenever you’re setting up camp, you’re always looking for the knife.
My son Ryan had a pocketknife that became his identity. His older brothers always had to ask him to use the knife as we were setting up camp. That became his status in the tribe. He was the man with the blade.
My birthday came around one year, and my family was planning a party for me. Earlier in the afternoon my youngest walked into my office at home where I was studying. At first I didn’t hear him; I felt him –I could sense his presence –and I turned around.
He had chosen this moment because he wanted to give me a birthday present but not at the birthday party. He wanted it to be just me and him. He handed me a present, and I opened it –it was his knife.
Jesus gives everything he has, he gives up his power, he gives up his status as the King of Israel, he gives up his very life as an act of great love for us. Today, as we remember the salvation we have through Christ, as we celebrate the life of Tom Mattox, may we be encouraged to give, to give to others so that we can all succeed.