How Can Wealthy People Give Sacrificially?

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Tim 6:17-19

Here are some thoughts on how wealthy people can give sacrificially from Generous Giving:

Sacrificial giving is the kind that is done at great personal cost to the giver. But a wealthy person, by definition, is someone who has so much money that he can weather losses with ease.

Christian generosity is certainly more complex than any particular dollar amount or percentage rate. But practically speaking, if a wealthy Christian wants to begin giving sacrificially, he must sit down and calculate a number large enough that it will cut noticeably (even painfully) into his standard of living, and start giving at that level.

I know many people that give to the level where it cuts noticeably into their finances, but I'm not sure that there are many who give at the level that cuts painfully into their resources. For instance, one couple we know gives over 50% of their income away. However, they earn over $200,000 a year. Is this noticeable to them? Sure. Is it painful? Probably not (they still have $100,000 to live on, after all).

What do you think about the measurement of generosity? Is it an amount given, a percentage given or something else?

Comments

[Me]

Uh. No. To give till it hurts is not a legitimate way to give. Instead of "giving a man a fish", try "teaching a man to fish".... you'll get much better results and you wont have to cut your own throat to do it...

Absolute dollar amount.

[Rebecca]

What you give up in order to be able to give.

[wmc]

Warren buffet is giving away his fortune ! What can I say.

[annab]

I think giving until it hurts can be effective if it’s done sporadically, but as a long-term strategy, it’s not healthy, because the natural reaction to deprivation is resentment and anger. The bible also tells us to be cheerful in our giving, and I don’t think that you can be cheerful about suffering. You can be cheerful in spite of it, but not because of it. Also, I think that giving outside of your means can reduce your overall giving by depleting what resources you actually have: like tearing off your shingles to patch another’s roof. If nothing else, it leads to donor burnout, which makes people not want to give. I think that giving purposefully is more useful, because it encourages the giver to continue the effort (kind of like how little savings, over time accumulate into large sums.) Even looking at Jesus as an example: the crucifixion was the culmination of sacrifices, the most notable one. But remember, even this was done just one time. No one asked Jesus to be crucified repeatedly. And the sacrifice of his life ( in my opinion) underscores another method of giving, which is through one’s talents and gifts. In Jesus’s case, this is exemplified by the years of Jesus’s ministry and teachings – the daily acts of giving of his time, his intellect and his vision. And we are not told that it caused him pain to do this.