Give to Live

Giving. This is probably the hardest thing that we must do because of our "selfish" nature and the constant bombardment of marketing campaigns designed to separate us from our money. Unfortunately, I am no different than the average American consumer, but it is something that I am trying to overcome. With so many other priorities abounding, it is hard not to keep it all for me. As I indicated yesterday, $587,000 for college seems like a lot of money, and it is. Should I not keep every dollar for me and my kids? I could easily justify that this is the smart thing to do. However, as scripture reveals, I am commanded to give, and help those that are less fortunate. Without giving I become selfish and tend to grip the things of this world tightly.
One of my favorite videos dealing with giving is the video, Rich by Rob Bell. During this video he shares several key statistics that I will share with you about just how rich we are.

92% of the world’s population does not own a car. We own two.

800 million people will not eat today, with 300 million of them being children. I will eat at least three large meals today.

1 billion people live on less than $1 per day. Yesterday, I spent more than this in gas during my 15 minute commute to the office.

$20 billion is the estimate to provide everyone with clean water, basic health, and nutrition each year. Americans spend $20 billion on ice cream each year. I ate my share last year.

These are somewhat humbling statistics as I attempt to measure my sense of wealth against those around me and not with the other billion people that live elsewhere. It is a constant struggle to not seek bigger houses, a nicer car, and the other trappings of this culture. I must find comfort that no matter what I have someone will always have more or bigger. Therefore, it should be my mission to help those around me with the resources that I have been blessed with.

While we are constantly bombarded by worthy causes and many "sob" stories, I think it is important to have the proper attitude about giving.

Your giving should be done:

1. Willingly

2. Generously

3. Cheerfully

4. Secretly

5. Like Jesus

This giving topic is so large that I will spend the next couple of posts focusing on different aspects of giving. I want to share two stories related to the relationship between giving and wealth. I have found this to be true in my life as well and can testify that God will bless whatever you give and He will provide for your needs.

The Shovel
Captain Levy, a believer from Philadelphia, was once asked how he could give so much to the Lord’s work and still possess great wealth. The Captain replied, “Oh, as I shovel it out, He shovels it in, and the Lord has a bigger shovel.”
Today in the Word, July, 1990, p. 28.

God Provides
In the latter part of the 17th century, German preacher August H. Francke founded an orphanage to care for the homeless children of Halle. One day when Francke desperately needed funds to carry on his work, a destitute Christian widow came to his door begging for a ducat—a gold coin. Because of his financial situation, he politely but regretfully told her he couldn’t help her. Disheartened, the woman began to weep. Moved by her tears, Francke asked her to wait while he went to his room to pray. After seeking God’s guidance, he felt that the Holy Spirit wanted him to change his mind. So, trusting the Lord to meet his own needs, he gave her the money. Two mornings later, he received a letter of thanks from the widow. She explained that because of his generosity she had asked the Lord to shower the orphanage with gifts. That same day Francke received 12 ducats from a wealthy lady and 2 more from a friend in Sweden. He thought he had been amply rewarded for helping the widow, but he was soon informed that the orphanage was to receive 500 gold pieces from the estate of Prince Lodewyk Van Wurtenburg. When he heard this, Francke wept in gratitude. In sacrificially providing for that needy widow, he had been enriched, not impoverished.
Source unknown

The scripture for today is from Deuteronomy 8:11-18 (Message)

Make sure you don't forget God, your God, by not keeping his commandments, his rules and regulations that I command you today. Make sure that when you eat and are satisfied, build pleasant houses and settle in, see your herds and flocks flourish and more and more money come in, watch your standard of living going up and up—make sure you don't become so full of yourself and your things that you forget God, your God,

If you start thinking to yourselves, "I did all this. And all by myself. I'm rich. It's all mine!"—well, think again. Remember that God, your God, gave you the strength to produce all this wealth so as to confirm the covenant that he promised to your ancestors—as it is today.

I will close with the following quote that determines the amount we are to give.

I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. - C. S. Lewis