Real Hope: GivingShembull

The Grace of Giving

I am delighted to be able to write these seven short devotionals on giving. This is not because I was asked to but because I requested our editor to let me write them. Simply, my wife, Kathryn, and I discovered the joy of giving over 50 years ago and it is an integral and exciting part of our Christian life.

There are many Christian disciplines that help produce mature, stable and productive believers. These include prayer, Bible study, fellowship, worship, church attendance etc. Giving is also one of these disciplines and, like the others, if approached in a biblical way, can be such a source of strength and joy.

St. Paul wrote about excelling in the grace of giving. Over the next days, I wish to unpack some important giving questions. That is, the motivation for giving, the starting point for giving, how to deal with ‘giver’s regret’, what to give to and a giving formula, giving that costs something, and a lifetime of giving.

Please indulge me as I share the Word of God, some scriptural principles and some of my quirky experiences with you in an attempt to encourage you to start or to continue a lifetime of generosity towards God and others.

Written by JOHN SCOTT