Do you give out of guilt or joy?

Luke 6:37

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

Guilt Trips

Some people, even in the church, give offerings because they’ve been made to feel guilty by others. This is in direct opposition to what Paul says, that we are to give out of a joyful heart, not out of compulsion, because God wants a joyful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). Even in the Old Testament, the idea of giving out of a generous, joyful heart was present. God never wants our money if we feel guilt-laden or we’re giving it grudgingly (Deut. 15:10). God doesn’t really want your money as much as He wants you and your heart. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t give; however, we shouldn’t give if we feel like others are making us feel guilty if we don’t.

The Genius of Generosity

It is really in our best interest when we are generous with what God has given us and not just because God will bless the generous person (Prov. 11:25). God promises that whoever it is who gives to the poor will be rewarded from God Himself (Prov. 19:17). As long as the willingness to give is in the heart, God accepts it (2 Cor. 8:12). Paul never wanted gifts for the work of the Lord to be a forced or involuntary obligation but to be freely given in a volunteering heart (Philem. 14).

Secret Giving

When you give to the needy, it is best to not tell anyone about it because the only One Who needs to know, indeed the most important One to know, is God (Matt. 6:3). Those things that you give in secret will be rewarded openly someday by God (Matt. 6:4). Why would we want to lay up treasures here on earth if we can’t take them with us into the kingdom? Why not store up our treasures where they will be preserved for us from thieves or corruption (Matt. 6:19-20)? Jesus tells us that our heart really lies where our treasures are  (Matt. 6:21). It’s a complete waste of time to worry about the things in this world (Matt. 6:31-32) because the true riches are in the King of the kingdom. If that is our focus, God’s promise is that we’ll have every need of ours met (Matt. 6:33).

A Closing Prayer

Great Creator God, please forgive me for focusing on the things of this world and not on You, for You are eternal but all the things of this world will burn up some day (2 Pet. 3:10). Please help me to keep a kingdom focus and give generously for eternal rewards, not for those things that will all pass away, and in Jesus’ most precious name I pray.

Amen