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.
