Giving signifies God’s love in every single person that is charitable. Giving should not be coerced and convenient, but with an open heart, generous, and based on needs. Often, especially in churches, people feel as if it is a duty of theirs to giving monetarily, but God only asks people to give what they have in a sacrificial and authentic way. Additionally, churches tend to place a value on giving and making it a duty because the bible says so; therefore, people are coerced into contributing. When people give with such mindset, it is now involuntary and not from the heart.
Sometimes when people give it is based on the wrong intention such as wanting to seek recognition from men for doing a good deed and this is showing God that men’s approval and attention is far more important than his. The Bible warns us in Matthew 6: 2-4 (The New King James Version) that:
“Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”
This is saying that people who give because of the pressure that is felt by others who are looking to make an impression or a statement does not get the same reward from God as someone who gives without seeking recognition and is private with their giving. The only praise and acknowledgment that is important come from God, so outside factors should not force or pressure someone into being charitable. Just like how God gave us his son and life sacrificially he wants others to do the same with what they have. Giving freely, generously, cheerful, and to those who are in need fosters a sense of purpose in us along with a heavenly feeling that cannot be replaced by external factors. When people give from the heart, it is a divine investment that is being made spiritually, for according to Proverbs 11:25 (New International Version), “a generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” Giving is like releasing a deposit of faith in the Lord in hopes that whatever you invested in someone else is safe with the heavenly father.
Sacrificial giving comes from a place of discomfort at times because we are giving up something not expecting it to be returned to us. Dr. Matthew Stevenson from the All Nations Chicago Church presented a sermon to the church titled, “Sow” that spoke on giving and the purpose and the benefits of giving (2018). He referenced Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 and the power of sowing seeds, and in his sermon, a seed is referred to anything that can be given as a sacrifice. He said that giving comes from a place that a person can feel in order for God to know that the love is real and sacrificial (Stevenson, 2018). Giving from a sensitive place comes from real sacrificial and painful circumstances. Painful not in the sense of causing bodily harm but more causing an emotional inconvenience that can cause some feelings of doubt, discomfort, and uncertainty to arise. Sacrificial giving can also be observed in Genesis when God asked Abraham to give up his only son, Isaac. I can only imagine how painful it was for Abraham to know that the one thing that he loved dearly and his only seed he had to kill as a sacrifice to give to the Lord. Not knowing that God had a plan for him and his family, Abraham had enough faith and trust in God to know that his sacrifice would not be in vain. When the time came for Abraham to give up Isaac, God saw the sincerity and faithfulness in his giving and ultimately provided a lamb for him to sacrifice instead. In return for such giving, God promised Abraham that he would make his descendants as bountiful as the stars in the sky and the sand of the sea. That belief example is telling us that sometimes the one thing that God asks us of to sacrifice may seem as if it is all we have, but in reality, there is more than that in store for us. God wants to see how far we are willing to go to sacrifice and generously give with a cheerful heart.
Also, giving creates a joy that fills the heart that radiates to others and encourages others to also give to those that are in need. The Bible also says in 2 Corinthians 9:7 (English Standard Version), “each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” God sees and knows the need of everyone’s heart, and when we give to someone that is in need of something that we have, he will provide far beyond our needs and wants. When we bless others with our giving, it is a seed that is sown in that person’s heart to also invest in someone that is also in need. One thing I know for sure is that you never know in whom you are blessing with your giving or even frowning upon by not giving. For blessings come in disguise, and you will never know who will remember that one moment in time. For that one act of generosity can create a domino effect in someone’s life and have a significant impact on others because there was a need that was met and a hope that was restored. In closing, giving is more than just an offering, but it is a seed that is sown in imperfect circumstances that creates a multitude of blessings in different forms.
References
Cortines, J. & Baumer, G. (2016). God and Money: how we discovered true riches at Harvard business school. Carson, CA: Rose Publishing.
Stevenson, M. (2018, March 19). Sow: do it til it hurt [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6T5dvVfJCg
