Giving Of Yourself - Your Reasonable Service, After What Jesus Did For You

 We’ve talked before about how Jesus was a servant; as all leaders should be. So, when I say giving is part of how we grow in Christ, that might make sense.

Let’s look deeper at it. Giving means sacrifice. But, if you see joy in it, it won’t feel like one. We should enjoy helping others. True joy comes from this order: Jesus, Others, You. God will help you feel that joy if you ask Him to.

It’s easy to give when you have a lot. Not everyone has money. Luke 21 begins with Jesus showing how a poor widow gave what little she had to the temple. He says she gave more than all the rich people, because she willingly sacrificed. 

Of course, growing in Christ involves more than just giving a tithe (10%) to a church, or a love offering (like CBT and faith promise giving for missions). If you’re rich enough you can pay someone to take care of your money and say, “Be sure to always give 10% to the church.” Sacrifice is personal – it’s not just giving a bit to help orphans, it’s going out of your way, even up to adopting one – and if you’re Daddy Warbucks, also adopting the girl she bonded with, finding others homes, and buying the place and starting a much nicer home for children. (There’s always stuff between scenes and before and after fictional works. :-) )

People connect giving with money. That’s why I spent so much time talking about giving of your time, talents, etc.. Yes, giving money is important – ministry runs on it. Some, like Youthquake, could do a lot more if more people gave, but Sal and I have to work some, too. We can both share about how God blessed us because we gave; not always in money but in some kind of eternal blessing. But, He didn’t mean for us – or most people – to be Daddy Warbucks. We all have roles, like on a sports team. But, He does call us all to use what He gave us – skill, time, and so on – and use it for His glory.

How does this help us grow in Him? The more we do for Him, the more we get to do.

Read 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, about Jabez. False teachers say the “Prayer of Jabez” is about wealth, but it says nothing about that. He asks God to enlarge his coast. But he doesn’t mean wealth in land. (Counterfeits say “border” or “land.” Again, Bible reading is vital.) A coast back then meant easier travel, trade and so on. (That and access to water are why the first big societies grew around rivers, seas, etc..) So, Jabez wanted influence. God knew Jabez would live for Him and draw others to Him, instead of just wanting worldly things. He knew Jabez would build his treasure in Heaven, as the Bible teaches us to do.

We don’t know much about him except that prayer, but it stands out like crazy in a part of Scripture that can feel like names in a phone book. Right there, God answered his prayer – thousands of years later, people can be inspired by something good he did. But we know from the rest of the Bible he had to be faithful in little things, just like when David brought food to his brothers in the battlefield before he killed Goliath.

Now, did God give him more wealth, too? Maybe. That boy in John 6 who gave Jesus his loaves and 2 fish probably got more back, too. But what matters is that he gave. And, that’s how we should be. It’s not about money or things. We should give with an eye toward God giving us the chance to do more for Him. Even if just as a prayer warrior. When we interpret Scripture with Scripture as we should, we see that’s always how God works. He says to build treasure in Heaven where nothing bad can happen to it.

So, giving lets us grow spiritually by showing our faithfulness to God: Giving our time, talents, love, etc.; Showing others Christlike compassion; Growing as prayer warriors; and, yes, as we give money, too. Then, God gives us more chances to draw people to Him. Who knows; that boy who gave his loaves and fish to Jesus might have been tested by giving an extra slice of bread to a poor friend. Because giving is one big way to grow in the Lord.