GIVING

Giving is one of our greatest privileges as Christ-followers. It is an act of worship, the overflow of a grateful heart. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” That’s where true joy is found—on the giving side of life. It starts with giving God the tithe, the first ten percent of our income. Giving above and beyond the tithe is called an offering, and it’s one way to grow in generosity.

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:7

You may catch a vision or sense a need, and you feel compelled to do something about it. Spontaneous generosity is stepping up and stepping in with a gift of time, talent or treasure. There may not be a rhythm to your giving, but there is a rhyme. You give as the Spirit leads, and that’s where generosity begins. Paul spotlights the generosity of the Macedonians this way: “This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard.”

If you are going to grow in any area of your life, consistency is key. And that’s certainly true of generosity. This is how the rhyme turns into a rhythm, and we have the added advantage of automatic withdrawal. Like any spiritual discipline, we’ve got to be careful that it doesn’t turn into rote routine or empty ritual. The idea of a weekly offering traces its origins back to 1 Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income.” One way Lora and I practice consistent generosity is via recurring giving. It turns consistent generosity into clockwork. Of course, we continue to give spontaneously to a wide variety of kingdom causes as the Lord leads us.

2 Corinthians 8:11 says, “Give in proportion to what you have.” This idea of proportionate generosity traces back to the Old Testament tithe, which literally means ten percent. But it’s not any ten percent, it’s the first ten percent or firstfruits. The tithe isn’t the ultimate goal in the journey of generosity, but it’s a key benchmark. And in my experience, God can do more with 90% than we can do with 100%. Why? Because we cannot out-give God.

In 2 Corinthians, we read that the Macedonian church was being tested by severe trials and tribulations. Paul doesn’t detail how those early Christians were being harassed and oppressed, but he points out that their “extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” He says, “They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” Radical generosity is giving above and beyond the tithe, above and beyond your ability. That’s how we stretch our faith, and that’s the goal. Ultimately, Lora and I have a goal of reverse tithing. In other words, we want to live off of ten percent and give ninety percent back to God. That doesn’t mean we don’t save for college or save for retirement. And that kind of generosity doesn’t happen overnight. But if you live to give, you will grow in the grace of giving. And God’s kingdom will advance because of it. In fact, your generosity will turn into someone else’s miracle!