THE CHRISTIAN GIVING

CHRISTIAN GIVING [TEXT: LK 6:38, JN 3:16-17]

Giving is a process of extending a helping hand toward others. Giving is an attitude. Christian giving is a means by which brethren are desperate to render welfare services to one another in season and out of season. Giving is the secret of living a prosperous life – Act 2:42. What you give will only leave your hands, but it won’t leave your life. Giving means focusing on others rather than yourself. God is the greatest giver; He taught us how to give by giving Jesus Christ, His only begotten son, to die for the sins of men.

Christianity is theory and practical, giving is a demonstration of practical Christianity. As a matter of sacred responsibility, man should share with others what God has given him for there is hardly anything man has that he did not receive from God. Giving is one of Paul’s Cardinal areas of emphasis in his epistles – Phi. 4:14-20.

Paul commends the generosity of Christians in Philippi shown to him when he was in prison for they had given him some financial aid at that time through one Epaphroditus. They had given on several occasions; he commended them for their gift because it is a proof of their sincere concern for Paul and his ministry. Paul urges Christians to gather donations for onward delivery to the brethren in Macedonia suffering the ravages of famine, by doing so they gained spiritual joy and satisfaction through giving- II Cor. 9; 1-5.

He reminded them that one receives as much as he gives with a cheerful heart, devoid of grudges. According to Paul, God’s grace will always abound with the cheerful giver, because his needs are provided by God at all time.

Giving is a form of righteousness, the reward of which is riches in abundance, through the generosity of the saints. Man will praise God for making people obey Him and His commandment of sharing with the poor, of course each time we share with others, the prayers of the beneficiaries are guaranteed to bring the grace of God to the giver. The rewards of giving, the style of giving, as well as the blessing following giving are summed up in – II Cor. 6: 6-15.

HOW TO MANIFEST THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

It helps in meeting the needs of the less privileged, the aged and the sick etc.
It ensures constant engagement in voluntary services to the needy, disable.
It makes a regular visitation to charity organization and offering materials support to them.
It provides financial donation to humanitarian agencies like the Red Cross.
It gives financial assistance toward the rehabilitation of refugee camp, war victims and prisoners.
It helps widows, the retrenched and ex-service men.
It helps in building motherless babies homes and rehabilitation center.
It assists in evangelical work and spreading of the gospel.
It establishes churches, offered scholarship also assisting destitute etc.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE GIVING

LOVE: You can give without loving, which is a vanity exercise, but you can’t truly love without giving. God sees the heart, not the hand, the giver not the gift. Always give with love, humanity, faithfulness, simplicity and cheerfulness and when God is in it, love is involve, little is much.
CHEERFULNESS: It is always a great privilege to give and is more blessed to give than to receive. If you find yourself at the giving end, do so happily and demonstrate this with a cheerful and grateful disposition.
APPROPRIATE TIME: Time is the essence of every giving, whether it is apparent or not, every need for giving must be seen as urgent. We need to meet people at the point of need and accurate time as well. Sharing should be spontaneous, habitual and impulsive. You can never give too soon for you never know how soon it will be too late. He who gives in time doubles his gift. “A SMALL GIFT IS BETTER THAN A GREAT PROMISE”. Giving delayed is happiness denied. A rejected opportunity to give is a lost opportunity to get. J.H. JOWETT said “God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to become comforters.
THE QUANTITY: Always give more, as you give, so shall you receive contribute more and you will receive more. If you want a stronger rebound you throw the ball harder. ROY SMITT said “God loveth a cheerful giver who does not talk too much about it nor expect too much credit. OSWALD CHAMBERS said “Goodness always consists not in the outward things we do, but in the inward things we are doing. Beware every time you notice yourself doing a good thing; you ruin it by the notice.

TYPES OF GIVING

GIVING AS MOTIVATED: Motivational giving is an integral, daily component in the long term success of any winner. Staying-focused, determined and committed to be the best is sure traits of a winner, yet none of these invaluable qualities can be indefinitely question without a steady diet of motivation. Your giving can motivate someone next to you to give, move someone and cause conviction in the heart of someone who didn’t want to give.

GIVING TO THE POOR AND THE NEEDY: These are people who are unable to maintain economic sufficiency; they are entitled to receive public or private assistance from others that will secure their survival – Isa 41:17.

GIVING TO THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOWS: The widows and the fatherless are those who have nobody to help them and God has committed himself to them. If you are concerned about their plight, and do something to alleviate their condition, then you are touching the heart or God. Job 29:12.

GIVING TO HOUSE HOLD: This is a gift giving to members of the same family. This gift ranks very high and God has a great deal in it. There are people who neglect their households and concentrate on the outsiders; such people are only liberal outside, and wicked in the family (2 Tim. 5:8).

GIVING TO PARENTS: This is a very important aspect of giving. Our well being and long life span is guaranteed by the honour we accord our parent. God has given them authority over us. As we give to them, they become happy with us thereby, blessing us – Matt. 7:10-13.

GIVING AS TITHES, FIRST FRUITS AND OFFERING: The system of tithe, first fruits and offering was intended to impress the minds of men with the truth that God is the source of every blessing of His creatures and that to Him man’s gratitude is due for the good gifts of His providence (Act 7:25; Hag 2:8; Mal 3:10; Exo 20:10; Exo 11:-16).

GIVING OF THANKS AND APPRECIATION: Man desires to be appreciated how much more God. One of the parameters through which God knows that we acknowledge His unequivocal love towards us is by giving Him thanks, either in kind or in cash. Our love for God becomes more intimate when we go beyond just lip thanksgiving to substantial giving – II Cor. 8:5.

GIVING AS A FREEWILL OFFERING: A free will offering is given spontaneously by an individual as being directed by the Holy Spirit – Exo 35:21; 25:29.

GIVING TO PRIESTS AND LEVITES: The Priest and the Levites were those who had the exclusive privilege to minister in the Temple of God. God gave a specific commandment that a special offering should be raise for them Rev. 1:6; Gal. 6:6; I Tim 5:17-18.

GIVING AS VOW: A vow is a promise keeping to God or man. Vows are last resorts to break the stronghold of the enemy out of our lives when vows are made in commitment and challenge to God. He swing into action (Ps. 66:13; 76:11; 50:14; Eccl. 5:4-6; Job 22:24; Gen. 28:20)

Giving As A Plan

Giving As Attribute Or A Memorial

Giving As Fund Raising

Alms Giving- Pro19;17

Giving As Seed Sowing- Matt6;3-4

Capital Giving- Ezra 8;24

THE DON'TS OF GIVING

Don’t give as an obligation except taxes, levies and bills.
Don’t use money to buy fame and popularity.
Don’t do ungodly things or inflict pain on others to gather wealth and then give some of this money out and claim to be a cheerful giver.
Don’t lend, give.
Don’t brag about giving.

May God Bless you as you begin to form the attitude and putting it into practice the act of giving to support the work of God.

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