Biblical Significance of Giving
Matthew 6:1-4
It's a common assumption that kids today care
more about getting than giving. But in an emotional, viral video, kids show
that while they may love Lego sets and Xbox gaming systems, they love their
parents even more. In the video, children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of
Metro Atlanta, from low-income backgrounds, are given a gift for themselves and
a gift for their parent. They are then told to choose between the two.
Video maker Rob Bliss says 80 percent of the
kids he interviewed chose to give their parents a gift rather than keep the
toys they were offered. Aaron Freeman, 9, is shown deliberating between keeping
Minecraft Lego sets for himself and choosing jewelry for his mother. It only
takes a moment before Aaron knows his answer. "Legos don't matter,"
he says confidently in the video. "Your family matters—not Legos, not
toys—your family. So, it's either family or Legos, and I choose family."
"These kids really don't have
much," said Bliss. "One of them told me they don't have a Christmas
tree because things have been tough financially for his family. Getting the
gift he wants for Christmas is unlikely. So, to face the gift he always wanted
but never got and still choose a gift for his family is amazing."
One parent said, "We were touched by the
selflessness displayed by our kids." These moments reaffirm that even
though they are young, they can still drive positive change through acts of
kindness and generosity. In the end, because they put family first, the kids
were allowed to take both presents home.[1]
This illustrates what happens when kids choose between receiving gifts and
giving. Winston Churchill noted, "We get to make a living. We give to make
a life."
The secular world is recognizing the need to
teach our children the difference between selfishly grabbing gifts and giving.
What is the basis for this awareness? As Dave Ramsey, the financial guru,
rightly noted, "There are several things to be learned about money from
Scripture, and the concepts of generosity and giving are in there."[2]
After teaching Kingdom principles that
prevent heartache and promote healthy relationships, Jesus turned to an
important subject: giving, especially to those in need. Today we will explore the
Biblical significance of Giving, including: Why Do We Give? How to give
and how not to give? What are the benefits of giving? Matthew 6:1-4
I. Why Do We Give?
In
His teaching, Jesus contrasted the Old Testament Law six times, showing how it
was often misunderstood, and He gave them the right perspective and renewed
emphasis. He concluded those contrasts with a profound statement: "Be
perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt 5:48). In
other words, He challenged them to become more like Christ, since the Father
and Jesus are the same. Being Christlike involves following His lifestyle.
Scripture strongly encourages giving and
practices it voluntarily; in some situations, it is mandatory. The Israelites
were required to give 10 percent of their crops and livestock to the temple.
These offerings were not meant for God, because God doesn't need our
sacrifices. They were set aside for the needs of the Levites and their families
(Num 18:21-24).
The Levites also tithed from their tithes
(vs. 25). Tithes were also used to celebrate festivals and to support the poor
of the land, the foreigners, the orphans, and the widows (Deut 14:22-29). When
the Israelites obeyed this law and honored God with their tithes, God blessed
the works of their hands. But when they ignored it, God cursed the land and
sent famine and starvation among the people (Mala 3:6-12). The Mosaic Law was
fulfilled in Christ, as he said, "I have not come to abolish them but to
fulfill them" (Matt 5:17). Christ fulfilled the entire law.
NT believers are not obligated to tithe;
however, we are strongly encouraged to give voluntarily to the Church's needs
(I Cor 9:13-14). Though the ministry setting has been changed, the needs haven't.
We bring our generous, freewill offerings to the Church for its various
ministry needs, such as the pastor's salary, building maintenance, helping the
poor and needy among us, and the costs involved in spreading the good news. Second,
when we give generously, we become more like Christ. God is the most lavish
giver in the world. His beautiful, bountiful creation testifies to His
generosity. Above all, He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who
ultimately gives us the greatest gift of all, the salvation of our souls (John
3:16).
Third, we give because we belong to God.
Scripture tells us that the whole earth belongs to God. The Psalmist notes in
Psalm 24:1, "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and
all who live in it." How about us? As believers, we have no claim on
ourselves. As I Cor 6:19-20 says, "Don't you realize that your body is the
temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do
not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor
God with your body."
One way we honor God with our bodies
is by willingly and joyfully giving back to God our time, talents, possessions,
and money. Some may object to this, saying, " Wait a minute, you mean I
have to give away my hard-earned money? Really! When has it become your own
money? For that matter, is there anything in this world that truly belongs to
you?
Paul challenges this notion of "my
money," "my property," etc., while writing to the Corinthian
believers. I Cor 4:7: "For who makes you different from anyone else? What
do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you
boast as though you did not? NIV. "So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect is a gift
coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the
heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." James
1:16-17, NLT
Everything we have and will ever have
comes from our heavenly Father, including our very own bodies. The properties
and wealth we think we own are actually given to us by God to enjoy temporarily
and to bless others. We are like the stewards of God's property. Therefore, we
should honor God with our bodies and with all our possessions. As a Christian Holocaust
survivor, Corrie Ten Boom once said, "Hold everything in your hands
lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open." When it comes to giving to God, how much
giving is too much giving? What matters is not how much we give, but how we
give; our attitude matters.
II. How to give and how not to give?
Jesus,
while addressing the hypocritical giving of the Pharisees, said this: Matt 6:2,
"So when you give to the needy, do not
announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the
streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their
reward in full." When giving to the needy, don't put on a BIG show! Don't
publicize it! That's what people in the world do, and that is the only reward
of recognition they get from people.
Instead, let our giving be done in secret; let's not brag
or boast about how much we give to be recognized and applauded. When we give to
the needy, think that you are giving to God our heavenly Father, who secretly
observes our giving and rewards us accordingly. How else to give and not to
give? When it comes to giving, the sowing-and-reaping principle plays a key
role.
II
Cor 9:6-8: Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and
whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you
should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly
or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you
abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you
need, you will abound in every good work."
III. What are the benefits of giving?
Bible-believing
Christians and even secular people agree that giving has many benefits. If many
problems in the world stem from human Greed, giving is the antidote to cure the
disease of Greed, which Scripture equates with idolatry condemned by God. Giving
blesses us and others.
As Scripture says, it is more blessed to give
than to receive. Acts 20:35. Pro 11:24-25. One person gives freely, yet gains
even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person
will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." I learned from
my mother to be generous to meet God's people's needs. When we meet God's people's
needs first, God will meet our needs. God met the needs of the widow and her
son during a famine in 1 Kings 17:7-16. “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” Prov
19:17. Let us be generous to those in need; we will reap rich rewards from God.
[1]
Terri Peters, "Touching Video Shows What Happens When Kids Choose Between
Gifts And Giving?," Today.com (11-30-16)
