Lending and Ministers

Okay, in my near fifty years on earth, there is one thing I have come to really believe. Never ever ever give any DVDs or CD's or tape or religious book to a minister in the hood. First of all, so many of these folks think they have arrived. They don't really want to learn anything new.

Second, they lose stuff. They totally don't see the good in any gift given to them. So they kinda just put the tape you're really excited about (and loaned to them) on the side and then they forget that you gave it to them. They then tell you you never gave it to them or you misplaced it.

I cannot tell you how many times this has happened. Now part of this is that maybe some folks in the hood just don't value education and they don't want to learn anymore. They think they know all there is to learn so they just don't read. But there's also the basic problem of people not knowing how to deal with stuff that is loaned to them. It does make me wonder how they can forget they have someone's stuff. One woman minister I know actually kept a book I gave her for seven years.

Upshot: do not lend anything to any Christian minister. Even if they ask for it. And if they really really really beg for it, don't give it to them if it's one of your favorites. Upshot, stealing (forgetting you have been loaned something) is rife in ministerial communities. Yeah, I'll say it. Ministers don't realize it but they steal. Or they belittle what you give to them. Hey, if it was money, they wouldn't have forgotten where they put it? Folks mislay only what they don't respect.

Anyways, I go upstairs after writing this post and because I'm alone in the house with ye mighty pit bull I leave TV's on upstairs and downstairs. So what do I catch on a religious station? Some religious kid show in which a girl --looking all cutesy good-- is telling kids they should be cheerful givers. So a part of me says, "oh, maybe you're being cynical. Folks will think you're picking on Christians!" But then the other part of me says, "Hell, no! They ought to teach kids the difference between sacrificial giving, stupid giving, and masochism. All that talk to kids about giving screw up a lotta sweet kids and make us give good things to folks who don't honor the gift...and they we walk around feeling guilty and unchristian for being hurt. Hell no, no easy cheerful giving sermons for me."

Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Proverbs 3:12-14

Proverbs 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Proverbs 4:4-6

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:6-8

Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! Proverbs 16:15-17

Proverbs 17:16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to it?