About two months ago, I heard about a 5K Fund Run in my city to help send deserving kids to summer camp. Without financial aid, many of these kids wouldn’t be able to attend. The appeal was simple: runners would get friends to sponsor their miles, with proceeds going to the camp fund. You know the routine. It’s a great idea—if you like running.
I don’t. So I dismissed the appeal.
I had already heard about this need a few months earlier and decided then to sponsor one child for a week at camp. Summer camp is no longer the inexpensive experience it once was! Since I had already given, I figured the run was for others—not me.
But in May, one of the organizers asked if I’d consider participating. She offered several options—including simply handing out water and cheering at a “cheering station.” My first instinct? “Thanks, but no thanks.” Why? Honestly… because I’d have to get up an hour earlier.
That was a lame excuse.
Thankfully, I said yes. I showed up, passed out water, and offered words of encouragement. And you know what? I was the one who felt blessed.
What lame excuse would you have used to not participate—if you were me?
Let’s be honest. Sometimes we say “no” and don’t give—not because we don’t care, not because we’re selfish—but maybe, just maybe, because we aren’t free to give.
When Life Paralyzes Us
Ever feel paralyzed by life? Not physically—but emotionally and spiritually?
Sometimes our own needs shout louder than anyone else’s. In those moments, even dropping a penny in the plate can feel like a sacrifice.
If you’re like me, you can get caught in the “tyranny of the urgent.” We’re trying to manage life. Bills, deadlines, family, expectations—it’s a noisy world. And the louder the noise, the less we notice the needs right in front of us. We forget that we’re called to something more.
A World Within Our Reach
Right now, there are over 8 billion people on this planet. Depending on who you ask, nearly half have never truly heard about Jesus—not just His name, but the good news that He is the answer to the world’s emptiness.
Let that sink in.
If those people stood in a line, it would circle the globe 50 times—and that line is growing every day. The lost are not just in distant countries—they’re also in our schools, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and our cities. They’re within our reach—if we care enough to reach out.
What’s Holding Us Back?
We like to think the problem is financial.
“If I just had more money, I could give.”
Or we say, “I’m not equipped,” or “I don’t have the time.”
But most of the time, it’s not about money or ability. It’s about distraction. It’s about comfort. It’s about self-focus.
We’ve become spiritual junk-food junkies. If we’re lucky, we spend seven minutes in prayer a day. Our pastors might hit 30. We intend to read the Bible, but YouTube, texts, and social media win our time. We plan to give, but then the car breaks down or a birthday rolls around.
We want to be good examples—but life keeps getting in the way.
And here’s the hardest truth of all: we’re so wrapped up in this life that many of us don’t want Jesus to come back—not yet. His return would feel like an interruption… not a fulfillment.
The One Missing Ingredient
Years ago, Dr. Richard Halverson, then Chaplain of the U.S. Senate, said something that rocked me—and still does.
He believed the American church had become so focused on “getting the most out of life before the grave,” that we’ve forgotten how to live for what comes after.
He didn’t say we lacked opportunity.
He didn’t say we lacked resources.
He said we lacked desire.
Desire for revival. For righteousness. For sacrificial giving. For something bigger than ourselves.
That was in the 1980s.
Look around—has anything really changed?
So… Now What?
If this feels like a gut check—good. It is to me, too.
We’re not helpless. We’re not stuck. But we do need to wake up.
The Lord hasn’t stopped calling His people to live with purpose—and to give from that purpose.
Let’s stop asking, “What do I have to give?” and start asking, “What has God freed me to give?”
It might be time.
It might be talent.
It might be money.
But it always starts with the heart.
Time to Reflect
- What distractions are keeping you from living—and giving—with purpose?
- When was the last time you gave, not out of obligation, but out of love?
- What would it take for you to live with an eternal perspective this week?
If this message stirred something in you, I’d love to hear about it. Share your story, your experience, or your questions. You can find more reflections like this at LarryONan.com. I welcome your comments and feedback.
Let’s be intentional—about living, and about giving.
