by David Bragonier
It's the end of summer and every time we turn around we're facing another appeal for money. At church we're reminded, "Don't forget to give while you're away on vacation." Worthwhile ministries flood our mailbox and email inbox with requests to help out during the summer months.
Why is this? After all, God is not short of money during the summer. He doesn't appear to go on vacation and not provide during this season.
Let me suggest three possible reasons why this is happening. One, we don't know or understand what God's Word says about giving. Two, we choose not to be obedient to His Word or leading. Three, we're in a difficult financial situation and can't give as we would like.
Number two reason centers around a heart decision. Number three can be resolved through careful planning, hard work and diligence. Number one is resolved through studying God's Word.
Together, let's look at what the Bible says about giving so that each of us can then focus personally on number two and three. These questions and scriptures are not intended to be exhaustive, but only a starting place for your own personal study and decided responses.
Why do we give?
There are many reasons. We give because of who God is and what He has done for us. Deut. 14:23 tells us to give "in order that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always." We see in II Cor. 8-9 that we are to give in response to God's grace in our lives. He gave up His one and only son for us and we can't help but want to give back to Him.
We also give in acknowledgment of God as the owner of everything. Lev. 27:30 says, "Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord."
How much should we give?
Biblically, we don't see anywhere where we are instructed to give less than a tithe (10%). In fact, we see just the reverse in Mal. 3:8-9, "Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, 'How have we robbed thee?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!"
Notice that the passage says, "tithes and offerings." That indicates we should be giving more than ten percent. For the Christian, the tithe (10%) should be the starting place, not the goal. Today, God's Church has to operate on two to three percent of income. The minimum God appears to want His community to function on is ten percent. No wonder our mailboxes are so full - everyone is competing for the same three percent!
The next verse reads, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows." This is the only place in the Bible where God says, "test me." He is not going to show us in advance, we have to make the first move (in faith).
The balancing point for this is that we have to have our heart right with God. II Cor. 9:6-7 tells us, "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver."
Take a step of faith and start giving ten percent of your income. If you already tithe, start giving offerings and try to increase the amount each year. How exciting to give back 15%, 25%, 50% or more of the resources He's entrusted to your care to manage for Him?
Where do we give?
This is another one of those questions that must be answered personally through study and prayer.
Following are some scriptural directives about where to give and where not to:
- Your local Church:
In Malachi we read, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse." The most practical storehouse we have today is our local church, which should be fulfilling all the functions of a storehouse. We also see in Acts, chapter 4, where Barnabas brought all he had to the early church for use as they had need. It has been said many times, "The tithe belongs to the local church and offerings are to support the missionaries and ministries that God also lays on your heart."
- Not everyone who asks:
II . 3:10, "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone will not work, neither let him eat." If someone is out of work, we may need to feed them. If they are not looking for work, we may need to stand back and let them reap the consequences of their lack of actions (sometimes even when it impacts other family members).
- Family:
I Tim. 5:8, "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever." God's first line of defense is family taking care of family, not the local church taking care of family.
- Ministering Christians:
I Cor 9:14, "So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel." It is very scriptural that as someone has ministered to you, you minister back financially. That is the basis for your support of Barnabas and the other "ministering" organizations that God uses to meet the needs of His Body.
- Christians:
I John 3:17-18, "But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth." We need to take care of the legitimate needs of Christians around us. As we do that, the Body of Christ is drawn together.
- Non-Christian Community:
Matt. 5:38-42, "… But I tell you, do not resist an evil person… Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you." We need to reach out and help the unsaved, to meet their needs and let our love so shine that they want to hear about the God we love and serve.
May God give each of us His clear direction and total peace as we study His Word and pray about our giving for the balance of this year and on into the future. As we trust God and apply His principles, summer "survival" appeal letters would turn into reports of ministry blessings and captured opportunities.