Purposeful Giving, Part 1

One Saturday, as I wrote out our bi-weekly check for a certain percentage of our income to put in the church offering as I had for many years, I thought, “Sherry, are you even thinking about what you’re giving and to whom and why?” I realized it had become just a habit, and I had to admit to myself that I wasn’t really giving with purpose.

So I challenged myself to at least come up with some scripture I knew on the subject of giving. After a few brain-searching moments, I pulled up this one.

II Corinthians 9:7:
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Congratulating myself on coming up with such a good one, I still felt a little disconcerted that I just now realized I needed to give with more purpose. With a “sorry” to God, and moving on from any condemnation for my years of neglect, I decided to at least find and ponder one “giving” scripture every time I gave. This led me to discover many wonderful truths regarding financial and material giving that I’d like to share with you.

God, Our Sufficiency

As in everything we do with or for our heavenly Father, we are to do it with our whole heart in thankfulness to God and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:17,23). When we give of our financial or material abundance, it is an acknowledgement from the heart that God alone is the source of our supply. We are and have nothing outside of God’s provision for us.

II Corinthians 3:5:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

For this reason, each individual is to purpose in their own heart to give cheerfully. And it is our responsibility and joy to give according to God’s Word and His spirit working within each of us with regard to 1) when we give, 2) to whom we give, and 3) how much we give. We will look into each of these points in future parts of Purposeful Giving. For now, here are a few glorious examples of believers who gave of their abundance freely and cheerfully as they purposed in their hearts.

Sharing Freely

Just after the day of Pentecost, the newly born-again believers shared freely of their financial and material possessions with each other.

Acts 2:44-47: [New International Version]
All the believers were together and had everything in common.  They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. 

You’ll notice that verse 45 says “they sold property and possessions to give.…” The giving was not mandated by any socialistic government, or by a religious leader. Each one determined in their heart to freely give out of thankfulness to God with a genuine concern for each other.

Acts 4 speaks of believers with property above what they needed, who sold it and gave the proceeds of the sale for distribution to believers in need. Barnabas is specifically mentioned.

Acts 4:33-37: [NIV]
And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. 
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

God’s Grace at Work

The apostles were charged with the distribution of these larger sums of money, but it was “God’s grace” which was “so powerfully at work in them all” that the result was “there were no needy persons among them.” Like Barnabas, the property owners themselves, not the apostles or anyone else, made the decision to sell their property and freely give of the money from the sale toward the need of the believers.

The next verse describes Ananias and Sapphira, property owners who also sold a possession and laid it at the apostles’ feet. However, they held back part of the price for themselves and then lied about it to cover up their true intent.

Acts 5:1-4:
But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Peter clearly acknowledges that the possession was theirs, and the proceeds of the sale were in their power to do with as they desired. They could have decided to keep part of the money and give the rest; this was not the problem. The real sin was lying to God by conspiring to deceive the apostles about the price of the land, making it look like they had given all of it. Peter clearly discerned that their hearts were wrong because they were more concerned with looking good to men than freely giving with thankfulness to God.

Sending Relief

Sometime later, a prophet from Jerusalem, Agabus, received revelation from God and warned of a great dearth that would be coming. When the disciples in Antioch heard this, they determined to send relief to the brethren in Judea.

Acts 11:27-30: [NIV]
And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

Those in Antioch individually assessed what they were able to give, gathered it, and then sent it with Barnabas and Saul for distribution to the Judean elders.

A Heart to Give

The apostle Paul refers to the Macedonian believers’ great desire of heart to give to the poor in Judea as an example to the Corinthians.

II Corinthians 8:2-4: [NIV]
In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 

Paul then compliments the Corinthians on their eager willingness, while exhorting them to follow through on their previously expressed desire to give.

II Corinthians 8:10,11: [NIV]
Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.

I have found it a delightful adventure to watch for and take advantage of opportunities to share of my financial and material resources with my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I have seen God’s grace “so powerfully at work” within me when I purposefully set my heart in thankfulness for all God has done for me in Christ, and then cheerfully give of my abundance. It’s up to each one of us. As you purpose in your heart, so give. Our heavenly Father loves a cheerful giver!

For further insight, see Purposeful Giving, Part 2.