CHAPTER 29: THE ART OF GIVING
I always say, “you gotta leave people with their dignity.” A good lesson when you are teaching people or realigning a situation. In that context those words are good to remember, good to live by. How could I use the same words when I’m giving? When a person is giving it would seem that “leaving people with their dignity” may not apply. Well, it does. First of all, one must have a heart for giving and not taking. Giving without taking is an art in itself.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
English Standard Version
The Cheerful Giver
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Yea.., how many of us take more than our share and believe we deserve it at the very least, or feel that our path, the one God has given us is not as good as our neighbor or our brother or sister? “Have we been short changed,” we might selfishly ask ourselves. Giving — giving when I clearly don’t feel like it, and giving with a gracious manner, a thankful manner, a humbled heart. In the state of mind of humility it is impossible to compare ourselves to others and covet what they have. In the state of mind of humility we are grateful for what we have been given and stand ready to see what God will allow us to do with it. Careful with what has been given to you, arrogance and entitlement can tear you away from a love that the Lord has given you from others — who could and would help you, and keep you from the Word that will sustain you. Before you raise up on your high horse about how good you are, be aware, your treading on thin ice.
Proverbs 16:2-6
English Standard Version
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.
By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,
and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
What does all that mean? It means quit doing everything for yourself, pretending that you are altruistic, super good and quite possibly even a philanthropist in your own eyes. That is not giving, that is taking or worse, giving with the expectation of getting more because you have not been given enough, again “what can I take?” Let’s define giving. What do we have to give? We have our time, our money, our love, knowledge and our testimony in God. What’s the opposite of giving? Wasting time, costing time, causing chaos in time and putting yourself in jeopardy because of my own selfish nature. How many others could I lead astray as well? If we are giving of selfish nature, personal agenda, anger, ill-content, no belief, no trust, theories and generalities instead of facts, personal opinions based in greed, concepts on God rather than scripture, self, money, property, prestige, false teachings, false gods — yes perhaps you recognize a few of these hideous task masters, do you? I do. Straighten yourself out. Wake up. A very important phrase before you can begin to use “the art of giving.”
Jeremiah 45:5
New English Translation
5 Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm[a] that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity.[b] But I will allow you to escape with your life[c] wherever you go.”’”
All of us have suffered from Big Shot-ism, correct? We got money, we give “in front of our friends” or maybe we bring a cash tithe to the Pastor “in person,” so we can enjoy the accolade in person, or buy dinner for whoever “at an expensive restaurant”, talk about “our investments,” donate to “politically correct” charitable organizations possibly in “front of the camera, or an audience of sorts.” Put my name on the list of investors, financial and political “good deeds.” A little sparkle comes off my “holy” front tooth as I graciously smile towards heaven. Of course this is an exaggeration, but you get the point. This isn’t giving, it’s campaigning.
The question is, “where is your heart?” There are wonderful quiet individuals that do the financing of God’s church behind the curtain, under the radar, busy about the Lord’s work. The great “commission” as Jesus has given. Giving people testimony, teaching scripture, working in the fields of the Lord. Those people may be hard to see, especially if you’re not one of them. Glad and obedient in service to the Lord is a gift, use it gladly.
Money is important for God’s church. We live on Earth and the light bill is expensive, the cost of doing business is real and people working in ministry need salaries to secure their families. What else can you give? First of all, you can’t give anything you don’t have. Support, teaching of the Word, love — none of it matters if you haven’t done the work — learned — how can you help anybody without prior commitment to these areas? And with honor, and dignity, so that others may learn from you.
Matthew 28:16-20
New International Version
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
How do you do all that if you haven’t got it — the art of giving is the art of learning, giving of your time to learn how to be a good friend, a good minister, a good helper, a good anything requires training and training requires committed heart.
Giving is a lot of things. A lot of you and me. I’ll say it again. Giving for God is a lot of things and it can be very “inconvenient.” We are so arrogant in how “well we are doing, how much we are giving, how tremendous we are, or how much more we deserve before we give one more minute of time, money or love.”
What do you suppose our lives would be like if God did the same? If God withheld mercy until we behaved correctly, where would we be?
“My Lord, How do I give with a heart of beauty? How do I say thank you with an awesome love? How do I remove petty from my everything and give freely and lovingly because of my Faith, with a capital F? How, my father can I stop pushing away the right people, and embrace the instructions I have been given?”
Psalm 138
English Standard Version
Give Thanks to the Lord
Of David.
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.
On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.
All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
If you believe that, if I believe that, I can give of myself, money, time, love, anything I have – gladly. If I don’t believe it, I am petty, guarded, secretive, measured in what needs to be done based on what I get, selfish, and nasty. What’s the litmus test?
I ask myself, “do I expect people to give me their time? Do I get angry when they don’t? Do I expect people for what I am paying them to bow down in homage and be my friend. Do I resent it when people ask me to do for them, or to help? Do I resent being taught things I disagree with, even when those people have helped me in the past and their counsel has been excellent? Am I willing to go to allow a good relationship to stop because of my stubborn reasoning, even when that relationship has been good. Do I take thousands of dollars every month for myself and give my church peanuts in comparison? Am I stingy. Am I prone to fits of anger when asked to do very little. Do I ever say, “I’m sorry, I need to restore what has happened, please let’s get back and continue God’s work, what can I do to help?” If the answer is no, to any of those questions, I got problems. People need Jesus, I need Jesus. It takes a good representative, a cheerful giver to inspire hope in a hopeless world. Could that be me or you? I hope so, I certainly hope so, because if it’s not, I’m done, so done.
Luke 18:9-14 New International Version (NIV)
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
So, how do you give? You stop doing the things discussed in this chapter and do the opposite. You love instead of resent. You give instead of take, you offer instead of withhold, you apologize instead of resent. You kill indignant in your heart.
Proverbs 3:9-10
New International Version (NIV)
9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Malachi 3:9-11
New Living Translation
9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease.[a] Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
2 Corinthians 9:7-9
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”
The following little story made me feel like an idiot. With all that I have been given, with so many people that helped me, people I inadvertently threw to the curb and blamed their incompetence. “Oh, forgive me, Father, in the name of Jesus!” I pray everyday that with what time I have left I do everything different, better.., for the good He put in me, rather than the bad.
Mark 12:41-44
New International Version
The Widow’s Offering
41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
That is Faith, with a capital F, the poor widow, happily gave what she had to the movement of the Lord, the mission, the giving, in love.
So what am I to share in this chapter, the art of giving? Call it “panash” a flair if you will — for the subtle, reverent, necessary, quiet, and yet effective, efficient gesture – proper and necessary, sharing what is necessary to facilitate the Word of God, without pride, expectation or motive. There is an elegance when giving correctly. It is void of ego, or want for desire or prestige. And most importantly it is necessary for each of us to give correctly, practicing the art of “doing what needs to be done” with the heart of a servant. Giving incorrectly could actually be stealing, ..from myself and what God has given me. Consider that for a minute.
Teach others the importance of knowing what the Blood of Christ has done for all mankind. Give your money to those in service of the church who take the time to teach you, love and support you in the Lord’s word, and those who walk with you even when I, you are a spoiled brat. Find and true love in Christ, admiration, compassion, support, wisdom, forever committed and completely — all of the most important and best parts of you, give of those freely. Give glory and honor to God for all things you have in your life with complete abandon. Do all these things with honor and an elegance! Selfishness has no place here. Indignant has no place here. As Christ gave to us all, use His way to imitate, emulate and become “better.” Never complain of the challenges — rather pray thanks for the ability to consume yourself with solution and alignment with God’s will. Give of yourself to God. Hard stuff for sure? Not as hard as living with a hard, selfish heart, petty and well versed in jealousy and envy.
Chapter 29 The “art” of Giving. Art is hard. Don’t believe me? Try painting, playing an instrument, poetry, writing a short story, selling a book – singing. Art is hard, the Art of Giving requires practice. It’s worth it. Stingy is short sided and does not yield a good result. If I’m stingy there’s a good chance I’ll teach my kids stingy and the grandkids. Who wants a stingy Grandpa. Short answer? Nobody.
Proverbs 11:24-25
There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.
Chapter 29 The Art of Giving. Leave people with their dignity,
give yourself a chance at your own dignity..
Paint a picture with the hand of God. Title it “those beautiful colors
in my life — as I’m ridin’ with the King.”
If that doesn’t work, think about this — when God is in you and you share yourself with others, they see God in you — and then through their eyes, you might see God looking back at you. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Amen.
