A close friend of mine is gradually coming around in his spiritual walk with the Lord, but like most people he really struggles when it comes down to actually putting some skin in the game.
Recently my buddy helped me with a very important spiritual project and his ante amounted to a significant sum of his own resources. It took us months to complete this project, but because of our hard work and investment most every day thousands of people are now hearing about the Lord, and some are even accepting Christ as their Savior in no small part because of our contributions.
To help put this in perspective you should know that my friend is very frugal with his money. In fact that is an understatement, you could hardly pry a nickel from his tightly clenched fingers even if you crushed them with a pair of vise grips or banged on them repeatedly with a ball peen hammer until mangled and bloody.
I was discussing our completed project with him the other day and he revealed how much the project had actually cost him. I’m sure I detected his eyes glistening with tears as he grievously recounted the amount of his contribution.
I broke out laughing.
I know this man well and consider him to be one of my good friends and I happen to know that he does not go to church and he does not contribute anything to the Lord elsewhere, because he has told me as much. He has done quite well and although he did contribute significantly to this cause, it hardly made much of a dent in his blood and/or treasure.
I looked him squarely in the eyes and smiled at his angst and discomfort and wryly remarked, “You know the Bible tells us that the Lord requires a minimum of 10% of everything we earn and above that we should give offerings as we feel led and are capable”.
He squirmed uncomfortably and affirmed that my point is both biblical and valid. I laughed and patted him on the back and told him that he was getting there and what he did was a good and noble thing and I’m sure the Lord will reward him many times over for it.
Billy Graham once said, “Let me spend five minutes looking at someone’s check book and I can tell you where their heart is concerning the Lord.
The Bible teaches that our giving is strictly between us and the Lord and I have no business or desire to look at anyone’s check book. But I would be remiss if I did not tell you that God does indeed look at our check book and he looks at our service to Him, and according to the Bible it is very important to Him. This is not some Old Testament rule in Malachi that went away with the coming of Christ, Jesus talked about this subject extensively and reaffirmed that it is still valid.
Ironically God does not need our money or for that matter our labor. Mind you, He already owns all of creation including all of the gold bullion, diamonds, currency, and jewels and whatever. As for His needing our labor, the Bible states that an innumerable host of angels are always at His disposal and He could direct them to do anything He desires and they would instantly obey.
So why does God, who is so incredibly wealthy and already owns everything, want 10% of what we have?
Contributions of our money and our time are the true manifestation of our faith in God and our love for Him.
I have a confession to make; I don’t give my time and money strictly because I feel the need to obey the commands in the Bible directing me to do so. I give out of gratitude. You see I know that I’m a sinner and I know that I deserve to go to hell, but Jesus took my place on that cross and I love Him for what He did for me. I deserve to die and go to hell, but Jesus, who did not deserve to die or suffer, willingly underwent my punishment because of His tremendous love for me. I’m very grateful to Him for that, and now I want to do all that I can for Him. I understand the need for others to hear the good news about Him and I realize the importance of the “Great Commission” of spreading the good news of Christ all over the world and of helping those in need as I can.
In my case giving is a manifestation of my faith and love for God.
I realize the economy is the pits and that many are struggling to put food on the table and keep the lights on and I know what that is like. I have lived through those stressful days and so has my wife in the early days of our marriage. I also know that the Lord blesses and the old saying that we cannot out-give the Lord is true. It has happened in my life for sure – for sure!
Unfortunately for some, like so many things in our quest to worship an unseen spiritual God, we must accept His promises concerning giving and blessings strictly upon faith. I can do no more than say, try it you will like it. It works!
I was sitting through a very boring sermon the other day and I resorted to thumbing through my Bible looking at little notes that I’d jotted down during more interestting sermons in times past. I read one that seems to sum up today’s theme, “What we live is what we believe – All the rest is just religious talk”.
Hmmm… The Bible tells us that there are vast fields of human souls that are ripe for the harvest into the kingdom of God, but the workers are few.
Are you among the few?
If not, don’t panic, don’t get on a guilt trip, God has still given you time. You can begin today.
Both time and treasure are needed to reach people for Christ, give what you can and do it out of faith and because you want to do it because of your deep love for the one who has blessed you so much and in fact has sacrificed His very life in order that you might live. And do it with a smile, realizing that you are greatly blessed to be in such a position to help further the kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 9:7
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver”