Giving: A Matter of the Heart

By Danny Saavedra

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 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. 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. As it is written: ‘They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.’ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”—2 Corinthians 9:6–11 (NIV)

If there’s one thing that makes many people cringe about church, it’s the topic of money. For so long, people have seemed genuinely upset when churches talk about giving, tithes, or anything of that sort. Why? Perhaps it’s because of the thoughts that pop into our heads and linger in our hearts when this subject is broached.

This is my money. I work hard to have nice things. Why does God need my money? I need this money. How will I pay rent without it? How will I buy food? I don’t have enough. God doesn’t need my money. He’ll understand that I need to take care of myself and my family. I’m not a rich person. Let the rich give!

When it comes right down to it, we think of these resources as ours. So, to part with our hard-earned money and not immediately get something tangible out of it—like a pizza, or a shiny car, or a new piece of tech—is a hard pill to swallow.

But I have two things to say to these ideas—ideas which I myself have certainly pondered…

It’s not my money, it’s His money. The Bible states clearly that “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1 NIV). I am not the owner of anything and neither are you. Instead, what I am is a steward, a caretaker of that which belongs to the Lord that He has entrusted me with. When we shift our mindset from owner to steward, it becomes a lot easier to be obedient to the Lord in the area of generosity. Why? Because it’s not your resource, it’s His.

Giving is much more about how you give rather than how much you give. It’s about the kind of heart we exhibit with our giving. 2 Corinthians 9 tells us that “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.”

You see, our attitude and willingness to be generous with the resources we’ve been given are indicators of the condition of our heart and the practicality of our faith. And when we remember that a) it’s all His and not ours, and b) He promises to take care of us when we’re obedient and faithful, we can gain an entirely different perspective on giving. But with that promise also comes a flipside, y’all… “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

Consider the example in Luke 21 and Mark 12. In these chapters, Jesus is watching as rich people drop their gifts in the tithe box (Luke 21:1). But then comes a poor widow who “dropped in two small coins” (Luke 21:2 NLT). Seeing this, Jesus called His disciples over (Mark 12:43) to teach them a valuable lesson: “This poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has” (Luke 21:3–4 NLT).

You see it? Generosity is not about quantity but quality… the quality of our devotion and obedience to God and our faith in Him. In both examples, we see this revealed. The rich gave a small percentage of their wealth. The implication here is that they gave what they had to spare. It’s what we call “disposable income.” So, while it may seem like a large gift to the untrained eye, it was merely their leftovers, their last fruits. The widow gave all she had—not just her first fruit, but her entire supply of fruit. She held nothing back from God because she knew it was His to begin with, and she had faith He’d keep His promise and provide all she needed.

God deserves our best. He deserves our all. May we remember this truth and cheerfully give back to the God who gave it all!

Pause: What is the difference between an owner and a steward?

Practice: Just as we did with availability and gifts, today take stock of the resources God has blessed you with. Create a budget sheet that shows how much you spend on what. And then consider what your spending habits say about your heart. And then pray about anything you see that needs adjustment.

Pray: Father, thank You for all Your wonderful gifts. I know that everything I have and everything I am is a precious gift from You. I thank You for the greatest gift of all: Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in Whose Name I am able to come before You. Help me, Lord. Help align my heart to Yours so that I may give You my first, my best, and do so with a heart of joy, knowing You will use what I give to glorify Yourself and advance the kingdom. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.