What is Your Attitude Toward Giving?

While recently doing research for another post, I ran into this piece that asks "what is your attitude toward giving?" The interesting thing about this sermon is that it lists different types of giving attitudes along with the verses they come from. Three of the examples are "bad" and three are "good." Their list includes:

Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:18-22)

"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.' "

"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."

Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Judas (John 12:3-6)

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-2)

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.

Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37)

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.

The Poor Widow (Mark 12:41-44)

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

David (2 Samuel 24:24)

But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.

I'm not going to comment on these -- just thought I'd post them for everyone to reflect upon.

Another thing from this piece that stood out to me -- it made me smile:

One preacher said, “When I look at the well-dressed congregation, I ask, where are the poor? When I look at the collection plate, I ask where are the rich?”

And finally, a thought that gets to the heart of the matter:

Suppose that on each Lord’s day you were to walk up before the congregation and put your offering on the table where all could see it.

Some would say, “I would be embarrassed.”

You would not be if you gave liberally and sacrificially as the poor widow.

Comments

[plonkee]

The final thought is probably true most of the time, but if you really didn't have very much money, you probably would be embarrassed about everyone either thinking that you were poor, or more likely, thinking that you were mean.

[soncruz]

it's a trust issue.. do i trust God as i give to provide for all my needs as i obey the Word and cheerfully give 10 percent? cheerfully. cheerfully because 1. it is a joy to give onto the provider of all my needs and 2. i know my God will multiply my blessing as i obey.

[rocketc]

Great post. Annanias and Sapphira's problem was not with giving, it was with pride and in telling a lie in order to prop up their pride.

My children will be getting their first allowances in January - and tithing. I am excited to teach them about good money management.

[That One Caveman]

I have recently made tithing a higher priority. There are times in the past that I could have better afforded it, but my new view is that I wouldn't have gotten where I am without Him anyway, so it's important for me to give better this year.

I'm not of the mind that if you give, God will give back. That's because I don't want to let this become another form of greed and only give because I believe I will receive. If I receive, great! But if I don't, at least I know that what I already have is going to good use.

[Smart Girl]

I give what I can and am able, but I won't do it at expense of my financial security. Rather than tith to a particular church, I give to those organizations I know are helping those in need.

[SM]

soncruz -

I have an issue with point #2 you made. Is it not enough to give because you are helping people without expecting some reward for doing so? That type of motivation seems suspect as any of the "bad" examples given in the post. Regardless, I'd never look down upon those giving despite their motivations as long as people are getting the help they need.

[Art]

I believe if one has to give it must be done with a cheerful spirit otherwise better not give at all. If one has to give whether it is for alms or for tithing it must be done in such a way that there must be no thought of recompense. I believe nobody could give unless he has something in possession whether money or goods. Giving sometimes could be misunderstood . In psychology over indulgence in giving or philanthropy is a sign of abnormality since giving would make the receiver forever a parasite. Teach a man how to fish and you help him for a lifetime but just giving him a fish for his consumption would only help and satisfy him for the day. In the concept of the white brotherhood they always advocate that being a millionaire is not a bad cause for as long as the philanthropic mission in this earth must also be fulfilled. Giving may not necessarily be in terms of money alone, it can be in terms of service or time devoted to a worthy cause. As Francis the Assisi once said: " It is in giving that we receive and it is in dying that one awakens to eternal life." Again in the white brotherhood it says that: " When a person dies, he has to leave every possession in this earth except two things the good things that he gave and made and the beautiful memories that he experienced in this earth."