Leveraging Temporal Wealth for Eternal GainSample

Day 2: Why Give

God does not need our money. We cannot contribute anything to Him since He has no needs. So why do we give?

There are multiple reasons for giving from our earthly resources, but today we consider six.

Reason 1: Giving is a tangible way to acknowledge the ultimate ownership and provision of a sovereign God.

The children of Israel wandering in the wilderness demonstrates God’s faithfulness to provide. For 40 years they had daily food, their clothes did not wear out, and they had physical fortitude. God provided for them, and He will provide for us, too. Giving shows you believe that promise and are trusting God to provide. There is no need to hoard!

Reason 2: We show honor and obedience to God in our giving because God commands us to give.

When we give, we are putting our faith into action. Obedient giving allows us to become more God-centered and less self-centered. It allows us to store up treasures in heaven instead of on earth. Obedience ultimately leads to blessing—the spiritual kind that lasts forever.

Reason 3: Giving is a tangible way to worship and show gratitude to God.

Giving is an act of worship. It shows we are not putting our hope in temporal goods but in God, who has richly given us all things to enjoy. Giving is evidence that we know what we have is from God, not from ourselves. We are simply returning to Him some of what is rightfully His and that He has entrusted to us.

Reason 4: Giving breaks the power of money.

We are told clearly in Scripture, especially in the parable of the unrighteous steward in Luke 16, that a person cannot serve God and money. Cannot. Not “may not” or “might not” but “cannot.” A person will not serve both—we will always end up choosing one over the other.

Why are God and money pitted against each other—why not God and power, or God and sex (or God and something else)? It’s because money is the biggest thing that tempts us to put our security and identity into it, instead of relying on God for those things. Giving breaks that power.

Reason 5: Giving is a way to meet the needs of others.

Why do you have what you have? Is it just for your pleasure and enjoyment, or is it to meet some of the needs around you? Of him to whom much has been given, much is required. Part of that requirement is to put your antenna up to needs in your sphere of influence and help alleviate those needs when you can.

Reason 6: Spiritual rewards come from the act of giving.

Although salvation is by grace through faith in Christ, we will receive rewards for our faithfulness to His calling. God graciously grants us the ability to respond to His call, and He rewards us when we accept His invitation to participate in His kingdom work.