How Do We Give?
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38 (KJV)
In this verse, God clearly tells us to give. But, how much do we give, and how often, and to whom? It’s not as much about how much you give but more about how you give. Yes, we should be generous, but it is more important to give with a right heart attitude- one of love and compassion. It is true that God wants our all and yet He is reasonable. The point is that we should give what He tells us to give with a heart that is giving.
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. Mark 12:41-44 (KJV)
Jesus sat by the temple treasury and watched who gave and what they gave. He saw the rich putting in large amounts and then a widow put in what seemed like very little in most people’s eyes. However, in God’s eyes, it was much. Jesus said that she had cast in more than the others. How is that so if she just put in a tiny amount but others gave larger sums? This shows us the difference between God’s perspective and man’s. Those who gave more had given out of their abundance, their excess. They gave out of their overflow. The widow, on the other hand, put in all that she had- all that she had to live on.
God watches our amount of giving, but also how we give. Did we give willingly? Did it really cost us anything? Did our giving leave us depending on God? Are we trusting money or God? Do we give for show or do we do it out of love for God? What do we do if God tells us to give it all? Am I telling you to give away your last bit of money- your grocery money, your electric bill money, your rent money? No, that’s not my point. Obedience and motive are my point. Do you give what and how God tells you to? Do you believe God to be your supply? Do you give out of a right motive?
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: II Corinthians 9:6-8 (KJV)
If we sow much, we’ll reap much. We are to give according to the purpose in our hearts. Don’t sow resentfully or because you have to. We don’t sow out of obligation. Instead, give cheerfully. In the Greek, this means to give joyfully. We are to give with a gladness that comes from giving. When we give with a right heart attitude, there will be joy in our giving. Let your heart be in it. Then, watch God show up and cause His grace to give more back to you than what you gave, because II Corinthians 9:10 says that God will multiply your seed that was sown.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (KJV) emphasis mine
God blesses those who give for the right reasons. Why? Because God loved us and gave to us out of that love. There is no purer motive. We are to love God and give back to Him out of that love, not because we have to. We give because we want to. When our heart is in our giving, we will experience an abundance of increase.
