“False Ideas about Giving”
Pastor Chris Crain
At North Valley your leaders are preparing for the 2012 financial ministry. Most of us have misconceptions about giving and generosity. I wanted to present some biblical truths to challenge you in your own giving. We all have growing to do in our generosity. Let God teach you!
Giving is a transformative discipline. Giving changes others. Giving changes you!
Money is not “the root of all evil.” (The love of money is.) Talking about money is approached with trepidation. We should not be afraid of the subject. The Prophets and Jesus Himself never had reservations about discussing tithing (giving a tenth of one’s income) or finances. Perhaps they were convinced that silence on the subject was more of a disservice than to speak openly about the matter.
Most people who have a “greed” problem have never had a “Gordon Gecko” moment. (Gecko is the greedy guy from the movie “Wall Street.”) People are selfish by nature. Greed is a problem in America today. Greed is a problem in the church today. Selfishness is a barrier to spiritual growth. It is one of the greatest barriers to God’s Kingdom work….perhaps the greatest barrier. We pump up our idea of what we say we “need” in order to satisfy our greed.
When greed is broken, lives are changed. Here are some examples from the Gospels…
A boy gives up his lunch…thousands are fed. A lady gives a container of ointment worth a year’s wages….Jesus is worshiped before His death on the cross. The God-man on a cross gives Himself over to brutality and death…Jesus pays your sin debt to a Righteous God.
In the New Testament, Paul encourages us with examples of giving. The Christians in Macedonia gave willingly and generously! You should too. Here is their legacy…
2 Corinthians 8:1-5 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.
Giving out of a sense of guilt is never ideal. Paul is asking other believers to change their desires….to give out of a sense of privilege. The Corinthian church was not contributing to the Kingdom as they should. Paul used the Macedonian church as an example to inspire their giving. They were examples in “the grace of giving” (2 Corinthians 8:7). The Jerusalem church was in a bad economy…and scattered around the world. However, the Greek churches (such as Corinth) were in a better financial position. Still, they were not giving as they should give.
Sometimes we appease our own minds with false ideas about giving. It helps us come to terms with our own lack of generosity.
False Idea #1: Only those with extra money should give.
The Bible teaches that we all have a responsibility to give!
2 Corinthians 8:2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
No one can take your place in stewardship. Some say that only those with lots of cash should give to God’s work. Let this person or that person give….they have lots of money. If I had money like they do, I would tithe. However, this is an unbiblical myth. The Macedonians gave out of extreme poverty.
What did the Macedonian church give? Did they give dividends or reserves? No. They gave out of poverty and great trial. The word “trial” is the word “purging”. It is the image of metal that is going through the fire so that the impurities could be removed.
When Jesus met the widow with her last two coins, he dispelled this myth. Many would have suggested that she keep the money. However, this widow was wise. Jesus said that she gave out of her lack…not out of wealth. She did not believe that only those with lots of money could contribute to God’s Kingdom work.
More resources will not make a person “more faithful.”
If I had a million dollars or won the lottery I would give to the Lord’s work! Well, if God cannot trust us in poverty…why would He trust us with riches?
False Idea #2: It hurts to give.
No it doesn’t! Really, it hurts when we are selfish.
2 Corinthians 8:2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
Some believe it is painful to give. Many think it is more pleasant to keep things than to give them away. Others believe, on the other hand…that we should “give until it hurts.” Neither of these is accurate. We should give with an abundance of joy.
Jesus taught us: “It is more pleasant to give than to receive.”
Think about Christmas in your family. The one who is giving is often the most cheerful because he or she sees the joy on the face of the one opening the gift. Giving makes Christmas fun…it’s not the receiving.
It is wrong to say that it is unpleasant to give.
Those who live life as “givers” are the most happy people. Remember the story of the woman who poured the expensive ointment on the Lord’s feet? Jesus said, “She has done a beautiful thing.”
False Idea #3: Giving will subtract from my bottom line.
You can’t out-give God! If giving subtracts, it subtracts from our self-reliant, self-centered attitude.
2 Corinthians 8:2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
Giving is not about taking a “slice of the pie.”
When you cut a delicious pie into pieces and begin to serve it…it will eventually be used up. (At least, that is what happens in my house!) However, in God’s economy, that is often not what happens. Giving does not necessarily lead to a lack of resources. Jesus said something different will happen….
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Some of the poorest people I know are the wealthiest in the things that matter. One day in Galilee a boy discovered God’s economy of giving. He took his lunch and gave it to Jesus and fed the crowds. This boy gave more than he really could “afford.” Yet, he abounded in riches.
So, it is not true that giving always results in a lack of resources.
False Idea #4:“I should just give what I can give. I can give a little extra here and there.”
2 Corinthians 8:3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.
Doing what you can do is a very boring and unspiritual thing to do. It takes the supernatural from the equation. Some people give this way: they add their bills and pay them, set money aside for what they want, then if they have any money left over, they give it to God. They say, “This is what I am able to do.” This person never benefits from God’s economy. This person accepts the false idea of “just do what you can.”
It is an amazing thing to be in the center of God’s activity. It’s amazing to watch God multiply
resources. David said it this way:
1 Chronicles 29:14b Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
Many people are living today by false ideas that have been around for centuries. These false ideas rob us of what God longs for us to experience. Giving changes everything. Experience a transformation in your own life. Give!
(some information from O.S. Hawkins, “Money Talks”)
