How to Give
Giving is a major part of Christianity, and its theme runs throughout both the Old and New Testaments. How to give, changes according to God's plan for each age, and His will.
One thing is certain--calling ourselves Christians, yet being unwilling to give lavishly, is akin to central air conditioning in Hell--it just cannot be; it is a spiritual impossibility. Giving lavishly, however, has very little to do with the amount given, but more to do with the amount not given. What are we willing to give in service to God? And, more importantly, what do we cling to, rather than giving?
Jesus and the apostles had much to say about giving. Not a lot about tithing; perhaps because it was understood that giving cannot be relegated to a mere 10% under grace--but, the Bible tells us, "And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." [Acts 2:44,45] It wasn't a new concept that the apostles came up with, either; they learned it from Jesus. They heard Jesus' words as he commended the poor widow in the temple: "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." Often, today we assume because a person gives less--they have "robbed" God, but according to Scripture, that is the wrong measurement. It is the proportion given weighed against that which remains in our possession that determines how generous we are. At least, that is what Jesus taught. "Two mites" (the equivalent of about 1/2 penny) can be more than thousands of dollars--if it is all that one has.
Many times, people assume that non-tither's don't give 10% because they are stingy and don't want to give--but for some, it is because tithing actually, puts (unspoken or unseen) limits on giving. For most who tithe--the majority of the total they give is in the form of the tithe--they may give more than tithe; in fact I believe most do, but the biggest portion of their total giving is the tithe. Unfortunately, that is not grace-giving. Grace giving is much more lavish than 10%, and gives not according to rules, laws, or personal choice and desire, but according to need, ability, and always is governed by the heart. Many would say "Well, where does that leave all of the Old Testament teaching on the tithe?" There is no contradiction with Old Testament Scripture when we really understand the tithe and its purpose--and when we look contextually at giving throughout the Old Testament. The purpose of the tithe was to provide for those who did not have the means to provide for themselves--in that day, it was the group of priests who were Levites (their need existed because they could not be landowners; their work was solely dedicated to the Temple, worship of God, and temple care). Along with the Levites, other recipients of the tithe were "the fatherless, the widow and the stranger among you". In that time, these were the categorically "poor"--at least, they would be without the provision of the tithe. Even with the tithe in place, to insure that no one fell through the cracks, God gave more instruction in giving and generosity. "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God." [Leviticus 23:22]. God always makes provision for His people, but He uses His people to make the provision. How good are we at setting provision aside for those who have need? God commanded this, too, as well as the tithe.
Today, it is often taught that we are to exercise faith for our needs--Jesus taught that our needs will be met when we seek His Kingdom, first (note: NEEDS: [specifically, water, food and clothing] not desires). Still, today, as always God uses us to meet needs--He could miraculously drop provision from the sky, but His will is that our hearts are directed to care for our neighbors--and that is His will. In fact, He doesn't want us to expect or look for miracles, because He said, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign [Greek: semeion: meaning "miracles, signs wonders, or a token"]; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas..." [Matthew 12:39]. God's people are to be beyond the point that we are miracle-seeker's, but living by faith whether "abased or abounding". When there is lack, the problem isn't with God's provision, but with our withholding the provision that He has placed in our hands to bless and care for others. We need each other to survive.
Where faith is concerned, the Bible never questions the faith of the poor man--but the faith of the man who has substance. Jesus answered the rich young ruler who wanted to know what he needed to do to inherit eternal life with this: "One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." James very pointedly, follows the example of Christ with, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." The faith of the one in need is never in question--except with modern Christians. Blame is laid at the feet of those who lack, and faithlessness is the charge. However, that clearly goes against the teachings of Jesus--and even the Old Testament, because even under the Law, God used His children to be caretakers not only for one another, but even "the stranger".
We each must ask ourselves how well we line up with God's plan for giving and providing. It cannot be simply limited to Sunday morning or the offering plate at church, but it must become a way of life. And, giving entails more than finance--how willing are we to give up our precious time, energy and other non-tangible things for others?
Will Jesus commend us as He did the poor widow? Or, will He reject us as "goats" for failure to care for the "least of these"? We get to decide whether we will give lavishly or not--but the consequences for not giving rest solely in Him; and they have the harshest eternal repercussions. [Matthew 25:41,46]
One thing is certain--calling ourselves Christians, yet being unwilling to give lavishly, is akin to central air conditioning in Hell--it just cannot be; it is a spiritual impossibility. Giving lavishly, however, has very little to do with the amount given, but more to do with the amount not given. What are we willing to give in service to God? And, more importantly, what do we cling to, rather than giving?
Jesus and the apostles had much to say about giving. Not a lot about tithing; perhaps because it was understood that giving cannot be relegated to a mere 10% under grace--but, the Bible tells us, "And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." [Acts 2:44,45] It wasn't a new concept that the apostles came up with, either; they learned it from Jesus. They heard Jesus' words as he commended the poor widow in the temple: "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." Often, today we assume because a person gives less--they have "robbed" God, but according to Scripture, that is the wrong measurement. It is the proportion given weighed against that which remains in our possession that determines how generous we are. At least, that is what Jesus taught. "Two mites" (the equivalent of about 1/2 penny) can be more than thousands of dollars--if it is all that one has.
Many times, people assume that non-tither's don't give 10% because they are stingy and don't want to give--but for some, it is because tithing actually, puts (unspoken or unseen) limits on giving. For most who tithe--the majority of the total they give is in the form of the tithe--they may give more than tithe; in fact I believe most do, but the biggest portion of their total giving is the tithe. Unfortunately, that is not grace-giving. Grace giving is much more lavish than 10%, and gives not according to rules, laws, or personal choice and desire, but according to need, ability, and always is governed by the heart. Many would say "Well, where does that leave all of the Old Testament teaching on the tithe?" There is no contradiction with Old Testament Scripture when we really understand the tithe and its purpose--and when we look contextually at giving throughout the Old Testament. The purpose of the tithe was to provide for those who did not have the means to provide for themselves--in that day, it was the group of priests who were Levites (their need existed because they could not be landowners; their work was solely dedicated to the Temple, worship of God, and temple care). Along with the Levites, other recipients of the tithe were "the fatherless, the widow and the stranger among you". In that time, these were the categorically "poor"--at least, they would be without the provision of the tithe. Even with the tithe in place, to insure that no one fell through the cracks, God gave more instruction in giving and generosity. "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God." [Leviticus 23:22]. God always makes provision for His people, but He uses His people to make the provision. How good are we at setting provision aside for those who have need? God commanded this, too, as well as the tithe.
Today, it is often taught that we are to exercise faith for our needs--Jesus taught that our needs will be met when we seek His Kingdom, first (note: NEEDS: [specifically, water, food and clothing] not desires). Still, today, as always God uses us to meet needs--He could miraculously drop provision from the sky, but His will is that our hearts are directed to care for our neighbors--and that is His will. In fact, He doesn't want us to expect or look for miracles, because He said, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign [Greek: semeion: meaning "miracles, signs wonders, or a token"]; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas..." [Matthew 12:39]. God's people are to be beyond the point that we are miracle-seeker's, but living by faith whether "abased or abounding". When there is lack, the problem isn't with God's provision, but with our withholding the provision that He has placed in our hands to bless and care for others. We need each other to survive.
Where faith is concerned, the Bible never questions the faith of the poor man--but the faith of the man who has substance. Jesus answered the rich young ruler who wanted to know what he needed to do to inherit eternal life with this: "One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." "And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions." James very pointedly, follows the example of Christ with, "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." The faith of the one in need is never in question--except with modern Christians. Blame is laid at the feet of those who lack, and faithlessness is the charge. However, that clearly goes against the teachings of Jesus--and even the Old Testament, because even under the Law, God used His children to be caretakers not only for one another, but even "the stranger".
We each must ask ourselves how well we line up with God's plan for giving and providing. It cannot be simply limited to Sunday morning or the offering plate at church, but it must become a way of life. And, giving entails more than finance--how willing are we to give up our precious time, energy and other non-tangible things for others?
Will Jesus commend us as He did the poor widow? Or, will He reject us as "goats" for failure to care for the "least of these"? We get to decide whether we will give lavishly or not--but the consequences for not giving rest solely in Him; and they have the harshest eternal repercussions. [Matthew 25:41,46]
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