Blog
Why Give?
Author: Daryl Heald
Date: 19.04.2010
Category: Global Generosity
Translations
As I’ve talked to Christians all over the world about financial giving, one question has rarely come up. I often hear questions like “What should I give?” or “Where should I give it?” or “To whom, how much, or when should I give?” These are all important tactical and transactional questions to ask.
But there’s a key conversation starting question that few people ask, and it is a transformational one: “Why give in the first place?” Unfortunately, Christian leaders and churches often get tangled up in topics that are on the margins of biblical stewardship and generosity before addressing this critical question. But our most crying need today is to recover the implications of the Gospel for giving. As Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 8-9:
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for you sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in praise to God. (2 Corinthians 9:11)
Here we discover the Bible’s clearest and most climatic answer to the question, “Why give?” There are, of course, many reasons to give. But in the final analysis, it is because we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!
When we give in the power of this grace we are not simply responding to a gift God gave thousands of years ago but are actually participating in the reality of God’s generosity today. For in giving us his Son, God has not only loved us but has made it possible for his love to be poured into our own hearts by the Spirit whom he has also given us (Rom. 5:5). Thus, we have received an inexhaustible reason to give and have been fully freed to participate in this great work of God’s generosity.
Of course, these brief words only begin to scratch the surface. But it’s also a good place to start this conversation. I want to hear from you. Do you agree that the “Why Give?” question is an important one—a question that essentially brings us back to the Gospel? How would you address this question? Here is where I would like to start our conversation on this topic of biblical stewardship and generosity…
Keywords: giving, generosity, stewardship
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United States
We cant give until we understand the ultimate gift that was given to us very undeserving and to a ungrateful people. I give and give cheerfully because God gave and it tells that a cheerful giver is blessed and to give without looking for anything in return. this is personal and no matter how hard you teach the rewards of giving one must Taste and see that God is GOOD.
20.07.2011
United States
Giving for the believe is a process of tranformation, seeing the need or needs of others and doing something about it. I firmly believe we are to be a blessing to others. In this thought of giving as god gave his best to redeem man back to Him, we are to give and do our best. I believe we must gvie until its uncomfortable, then we have experienced giving.
19.07.2011
United States
In the most simple answer I could give...we should give as believers because God gives to us. Because of God’s anointing and favor we are conduits of His blessings. What a great honor to be used by God.
19.07.2011
United States
Great question and great thoughts!
I also think the question of "Why Give?" is crucial for the growth of the global Church. There are, indeed, a variety of motivations for giving. Any and all of the primary motivators that prompt my giving and yours can be sifted through a lens that can potentially foster that transformation in our own lives. Is our motivation primarily egocentric (I give primarily because I benefit), sociocentric (I give primarily because others benefit), or theocentric (I give to, first and foremost, glorify the God who has graciously entrusted all that I am and all that I have into my care)? The reality is that Scripture tells us that we will, indeed, benefit from our giving (1 Tim 6:17-19). Scripture also tells us that other individuals and organizations will often benefit from our acts of generosity. Yet, the grace of giving (that Paul talks about in 2Cor 8:7) is a process of continually moving toward a theocentric motivation as we extend the grace that is only made possible because we are made in the image of a gracious and generous God.
Further, we would do well to learn that as Christian leaders the primary purpose to encourage generosity is not to fund ministry, churches, and/or organizations ... those things are a result of and a necessary byproduct of giving. Yet, God desires that we motivate others to give so that all believers will excel in the grace of giving (a key area of discipleship) and vividly reflect God’s image as we extend that grace to others.
28.04.2010
Kenya
@ Stewardship_Council:
God gave his son ... to save the world. Abraham was ready to hand over his son. Hannah gave over her son. Elizabeth knew that her son did not belong to her. Paul’s ’son’ Timothy was given over in the service of the Lord. Of course, many servants of the Lord ’gave themselves’ ... and this I suggest is more important than any ’financial’ side of giving.
Then I also came across 1 Timothy 2:15 - that a woman is saved through childbirth. Yes, to give. But; maybe not to money. Can we ’give’ ourselves, or our loved ones, or our sons? What does this or will this mean?
06.09.2010
United States
@ Jim_Harries:
Jim,
Thanks for writing. You raise some excellent points! Far too often Christian parents have been guilty of discouraging their children from living lives of radical Christian service (e.g, teaching school in underprivileged environments, serving in dangerous mission fields etc.) for fear of seeing their children sacrifice successful careers and comfortable lifestyles. By way of contrast, we would do well to learn from the examples of Abraham and Hannah who---as you point out---were willing to put the lives of their children in God’s hands.
But I believe it would be a mistake to use this (otherwise helpful) observation to downplay the importance of financial generosity. After all, Jesus himself placed an extraordinary degree of emphasis on the spiritual significance of what we do with our money and possessions. "For where your treasure is," Jesus said, "there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). And the apostle John went so far as to ask, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" (1 John 3:16)
Thus, I would say that while biblical generosity should always involve more than financial giving, it should never be anything less. What we do with our money and possessions will always be a symbolic expression of what we really care about (Matthew 6:21).
13.09.2010
Kenya
@ Daryl_Heald:
Hi Daryl, Thanks for this thoughtful response.
I would like to come back to your teachings of Jesus. My own reading of him, is that he taught a certain ‘disregard’ for money, rather than strategic use of money. That would be illustrated by Mt. 6:21, and the teachings on the lilies in the fields being so well adorned despite their not toiling to make an income. 1 John 3:16 (I think it is v17). I recently made a study of this verse, and my more literal translation from the Greek would read: ‘If anyone has a good life (bion) and sees his brother in need but it doesn’t get him in his guts (splagchna), how can the love of God be in him.’ In other words – we should be moved by others’ need, but our response may not be handing over the money.
Jesus’ concern wasn’t with money, and neither should ours be in that sense. Unfortunately my own reading of what you suggest (from missions experience in Third World settings) is that the Westerner will always be the boss, and always set himself apart from the people he is reaching, thus defeating the wider missions’ agenda.
13.09.2010
United States
Thank you for sharing this question. The why questions are always tougher and so they are always asked less. But the why questions are at the core of the issue and are essential to our growth in this area of obedience. I work with a group called .W (doers of the Word) and we help people to implement Transformational Giving within their nonprofits and churches. Transformational Giving challenges nonprofits to see fundraising as discipleship. So we would qualify the why of giving in this way - to see people growing in Christ in relationship to the cause.
20.04.2010
United States
@ Jon_Hirst:
Jim,
Thanks for writing. You raise some excellent points! Far too often Christian parents have been guilty of discouraging their children from living lives of radical Christian service (e.g, teaching school in underprivileged environments, serving in dangerous mission fields etc.) for fear of seeing their children sacrifice successful careers and comfortable lifestyles. By way of contrast, we would do well to learn from the examples of Abraham and Hannah who---as you point out---were willing to put the lives of their children in God’s hands.
But I believe it would be a mistake to use this (otherwise helpful) observation to downplay the importance of financial generosity. After all, Jesus himself placed an extraordinary degree of emphasis on the spiritual significance of what we do with our money and possessions. "For where your treasure is," Jesus said, "there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). And the apostle John went so far as to ask, "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?" (1 John 3:16)
Thus, I would say that while biblical generosity should always involve more than financial giving, it should never be anything less. What we do with our money and possessions will always be a symbolic expression of what we really care about (Matthew 6:21).
13.09.2010
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