Leveraging Temporal Wealth for Eternal GainSample

Day 3: When to Give

Let’s look today at three insights—all rooted in Scripture—into the question of when to give.

1. Give consistently.

In 1 Corinthians 16:1–2 we see the practice of giving on the first day of every week. Whether it is weekly, monthly, or the day you receive a paycheck, the idea is to return a portion of what is the Lord’s to Him regularly. Consistent giving requires a kingdom mindset in which our personal benefit (using our wealth for ourselves) is outweighed by what is beneficial to others (generously giving to those in need). When we see giving as an opportunity to serve and bless others, we will desire to do so consistently.

2. Give now, not later.

You may have heard of giving with a “warm hand” (while you are alive) versus with a “cold hand” (after you die, as through your estate). The parable of the rich farmer in Luke 12 illustrates clearly the foolishness of waiting to give. The rich fool kept the excess of his material wealth for himself, choosing to hoard it rather than give it away during his lifetime. As a result, he was poor toward God; he did not leverage his resources for eternal gain. He exhibited covetousness and stinginess—two attributes that should not characterize a follower of Jesus. The opposite of being a fool is to be wise by giving now instead of after you’re gone. (In our book, Leverage, we further unpack the mindset of cold-hand giving, explaining why letting your wealth “outlive” you, through a vehicle like a trust, may seem sensible but can be problematic.)

3. Listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

This is perhaps the most important principle. In light of the myriad needs around us, which we cannot ever meet in full, we need to have our spiritual antenna up, to sense what the Holy Spirit would have us do.

Paul commended the Macedonians for listening to the Spirit in their giving, saying that “they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us” (2 Corinthians 8:5). Often, listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit can lead us down paths that feel risky. However, God rewards risk-taking as we obey Him rather than listen to our fears or the surrounding culture. God will enable us to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit by giving us everything we need to follow through on those promptings. Many times, we must take a step of faith first.

The more we pray for opportunities to give, the more God will provide them. Just as He delights to give consistent, generous blessings to His children, He delights when we act in harmony with His Spirit to do the same.