Charitable Lead Trust Funded with Appreciating Stock
After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on (Luke 19:28-35, NLT).
In Jesus’ day the most common form of transportation was the donkey. Donkey’s were ridden by people of every socio-economic class. Like a pickup truck, donkey’s were utilitarian animals that could be ridden or used to haul heavy items. Some were even used in the fields of agriculture for plowing or for grinding grain into meal. Because they were gentle in spirit, the donkey was viewed as a symbol of peace.
The donkey in the Palm Sunday narrative is usually overlooked, but if you read the passage carefully the text mentions that the donkey was tied and must be untied five times! That much repetition calls for the reader to pay attention to what is going on.
Consider four observations about the exchange in the aforementioned text. First, the owners gave out of their poverty. In Bible times some people were too poor to own their own individual donkeys, so they would pool their resources and own one jointly. Jesus didn’t send for a donkey from a man that had a stable full of them. His opportunity was extended to those who would have recognized the cost and potential risk of allowing it to be untied and entrusted to the disciples.
Second, the owners exercised faith. Some scholars believe that Jesus prearranged this exchange, but it is more likely that it was a blind invitation. The only thing they knew was “the Lord needs it.” Faith is nothing more than our positive response to the word(s) of God. They untied the donkey because the Lord had a need that they could fulfill. While we assume the donkey is returned, it is important to note that the Scripture never gives us that answer.
Next, the owners didn’t fully understand the purposes of Jesus. Were they well versed in the Old Testament prophecies of Psalm 118 or Zechariah 9:9? Even if the disciples would have explained that Jesus needed the donkey to ride into Jerusalem to symbolically proclaim his Messiahship, they may not have comprehended the coming events headed into Good Friday and Easter morning. Sometimes God extends opportunities and invitations to us that we may not fully grasp or understand.
Finally, their contribution made a kingdom-sized difference. When we are willing to untie our blessings and gifts for the Lord’s needs we make a lasting impact. Their generosity became a story that we are still discussing 2,000 years later!
When Pastor Smith announced that First Church was beginning a Capital Campaign, Cory and Miranda did not have the cash flow available to make what they believed to be a sacrificial pledge. When they met with their financial advisor, she suggested that they consider establishing a Charitable Lead Trust (CLT) that could be funded with rapidly appreciating stock. The trust would pay income to the Church for an established period of time and fulfill their desire to pledge the campaign. At the conclusion of the campaign, Cory and Miranda would retain control of the asset. They could then receive the income generated from the trust and pass the remainder of the trust to their heirs. The CLT would reduce their gift and estate taxes on the asset passed to their heirs and lower their income taxes liability. They would also avoid capital gains tax on the sale of the appreciated stock.
Cory and Miranda “untied” a non-cash asset to meet the immediate need of the work of the Kingdom. Their wise stewardship not only allowed them to make a greater gift than they could have made in cash, it also provided them the flexibility to solve a tax concern and maintain control of the asset.
What does the Lord need that you need to untie? Your Church is prepared to help you fulfill the desire of your heart to invest in eternal causes by providing you with the resources you need to make a gift from the non-cash assets you currently have in order to store up treasures in heaven. Who knows what stories will be told in the years to come because you acted in faith?
