Giving To God

If you think for a moment, I’m sure you can think of a time (maybe even today) that you’ve given something. We give all kinds of things like time, love, attention, and money… The list goes on and on.

As Christians, it’s easy to lose sight of the purpose behind our giving. We are taught almost from the moment we accept our Savior that giving is part of the Christian life. But do we really understand why that is? Let’s look together at what the Bible tells us about how and why we should give.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
– Matthew 6:1-4

There are plenty of Bible verses about giving, but this passage stands out to me. In just four verses, we are reminded of the most significant principle behind Christian giving.

  1. We are expected and required to give
    Reread the passage. Notice that Jesus said to His disciple “when you give” not “if you give.” Jesus is telling us that, as Christians, giving is a requirement. It is an expected part of our daily walk with God.

  2. Our motives for giving matter
    Immediately, Jesus warns against “practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them.” He later goes so far as to say that your giving should be done in secret. This means that we should not give for our own glory, recognition, or praise. Jesus states that those who do “have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” As Christians, we give to honor God and bring glory to His kingdom.

  3. Ultimately, we are giving directly to God
    Of course, you aren’t literally placing your tithe or offering into God’s hands, but as mentioned previously, Christian giving is done to bring glory to God and His kingdom. When you give you are doing more than just padding the church’s budget – you are giving and offering directly to the Lord and He sees and rewards your gift.

The bottom line? When you give, do it for the right reasons – for God’s kingdom and glory.

Jairus SartenComment