GIVING GIVES BACK

This is a portion of another article I have written. That one may be a little more controversial because it crosses political lines, so I opted to just pull this part out.

GIVING GIVES BACK

If the church itself is poor, giving of oneself through labor by an individual or individuals in the church will often meet those unmet needs. That amounts to tithing of your time and talents. If an elderly widow cannot afford to make repairs on her house, the donation of one’s services will save the same amount of money that the church would have had to donate if the church family had the money. In that situation, the woman saves money when an expense is eliminated, which is the same as receiving money. Ideally, every individual with a skill would donate 10 percent of their time to a person in need of the services they are able to provide.

God allows for great financial gain. Abraham was rich and so was Joseph after he became the second most powerful man in the Egyptian nation. David and Solomon were both rich. In fact, Solomon was probably the richest king ever. Though God allowed individuals to keep their riches, he also required them to consider the poor and to respond with generosity.

God wants us to learn to give. Giving stimulates the heart. It requires caring, compassion, consideration, sacrifice and love, all of which build character. Giving helps the Christian stay focused. Self-centeredness cannot rule the soul when generosity is present. Hard-heartedness is avoided when self is sacrificed. Giving provides an emotional reward and builds our relationship with Christ. We are an example to others with our giving. Givers earn honor and respect and make the world a better place. There is much truth in “It is better to give than receive.”

I Timothy 6:17-19 says "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

--Becky Wall