O say can you pledge?

Nowadays folks seem to not want to sing the national anthem. When I was growing up, standing in a crowd and singing The Star Spangled Banner was both a bit scary (it was hard to sing and a bit socially awkward) and invigorating (it was awesome to feel thankful for, and proud of, my country). I’m sure most of the people singing next to me felt those same competing emotions. But I did it. And they did it. And we put sat back down (or cheered for the start of the game) with our collective identity as the free and the brave reinforced, and our sense of gratitude for our shared America deepened.

Today though, things are different. Sporting events, scouting events, social events—it’s usually all the same: somebody hits the “play” button on the public address system, and a crowd of patriotic Americans stand up, take off our caps, put our right hand over our chests, take a deep breath, and quietly exhale as somebody else sings to us about our country.

Most of us listen politely. And maybe also relieved we don’t have to contribute our voice to the effort. But my guess is that few of us get goosebumps like we do when we do the singing. And my observation is, some of us even check our email at the twilight’s last gleaming, or text our friends while the bomb are bursting in air. Pretty soon what could have been a powerful spiritual experience becomes a formulaic fun-delayer. My heart breaks, and I resolve to sing the next time (and sometimes, I actually do!)

This is the time of year when lots of churches do “pledging”—asking worshippers to make a written financial commitment to the ministry. Long-time Christians are familiar with the process—but a lot of us gripe about it. “Why should I have to tell anyone what I give?” we might mumble. Or, if we’re a bit more petulant, “I’ll give what I feel I should—not because I made a promise to do it!”

Every fall at my church, we challenge all our worshippers and members to join the church’s own anthem of pride and gratitude—and to make an annual financial pledge. We put aside the constant distractions, stand up for our faith, put our trust in God ahead of our doubts in life, and with thankful hearts and no small dose of family heroism, we make a financial pledge of allegiance to the Kingdom of God.

Like singing the national anthem, pledging a percentage of our income to the Kingdom of God is not a mandatory thing. And like the current fashion of not singing national anthems, it’s possible to attend a church for years and let other people do the risky things—and then just clap and cheer when the fun begins.

But I would dare say that people who deeply love their country generally want to sing the anthem. And if in a similar way, you deeply love your Lord and His body, the church, it makes spiritual and emotional sense to stand up and say so with your financial commitment, too.

Turning in a pledge card is not only a personal and family spiritual experience, but it’s a good-stewardship, high-compassion thing to do for our church financial planners, too! At Kaw Prairie, where people are casual are on the outside, I give thanks for all the folks who are so serious with their faith on the inside. And who are brave enough to stand up and sing out their thanks to God!