If We Do Not Have As Much As Others Should We Still Give?

Should we give when we are not doing as well off as others who are rich? Can we use the excuse that we do not have as much as others, so we should not have to give? The Bible answers with an example of how some handled this question.

"In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."  2 Corinthians 8:2

TRIALS
The people of Macedonia were going through trials; they may have experienced persecution, starvation, disease or some other hardship. The word in the original language for trial is the one that is used for purging of the type that is used to purify metal in a heated crucible until the metal melts and the impurities can be skimmed off of the top.

It wasn't just a hardship because it is described with the words, very and severe, this gives an emphasis that is unmistakable. They had it as bad as anyone ever could.

IN THE MIDST
They didn't wait for a sunny day to give, or for times to get better. They were in the middle of the trials.

EXTREME POVERTY
They were at the rock bottom; they were destitute, and they had no resources to help themselves.

JOY
The mention of their overflowing joy is not a mistake. They had joy in giving. Giving blesses us when we give. In this case, giving was related to joy. Giving may have led to joy or joy may have led to giving- either way, they go together.

The Macedonians were in the heat of an extreme hardship. If anyone had grounds to be exempt from giving it would have been them. They did not wait to win the lottery or for things to get better before they gave. They gave generously while they were in poverty. They did not see that poverty excused them from giving. More likely they saw that giving to have greater significance to God since it was done in hardship.

(c) Adron 10/19/14

What Does The Bible Say About Greed?

Is greed bad, isn't there a good greed? What does the Bible say?

"For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a person is an idolater- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Ephesians 5:5. NIV.

EMPHASAS
The Bible verse quoted starts out with a strong statement that, "of this you can be sure." This is like saying there is no doubt, or it is set in stone.

A FAMILY OF BAD
The greedy person is grouped with the immoral and the impure. This is saying they are all equal, and equally bad. An immoral person rejects God's standards for him and an impure person is associated with pollution of sin.

IDOLOTER
An idolater worships and serves a false god. It is not just someone who bows before and idol but someone who lives for the false god. Money can be a false god. We can serve money and become its slave.

The idolater looks to the idol to protect and provide not the True God. We can be idolaters regarding money when we think a large sum of money will protect us and provide our needs. We are robbing ourselves of God's best blessing by looking to the false god of money.

IRONY OF INHERITANCE REJECTION
In being greedy for earthly treasure the person passes up a treasure that is greater beyond imagining- an inheritance in the kingdom of God.

Can We Become Wealthy By Giving To God?

There are people who tell us to give to God and he will bless you. Is that really in the Bible?

"Who has ever given to God that God should repay them?" Romans 11:35.
The answer: no one.

YES GIVE
We should give to God, church, charities and good service organizations not because we will bribe God to bless us but because it is the right thing to do. We should give out of gratitude and as an act of worship to God and service to others. We should see giving as an opportunity to be a blessing to others.

HA! HA! FUNNY
It is ridiculous to think we could put God in our debt by giving paltry money to Him. He created diamonds, and gold was his idea. He already owns all things and if there was something He didn't own He could make it out of nothing.

"Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me." Job 41:11.

BLESSING
God may bless us, but not for throwing money at Him. He blesses us because He loves us; but in addition, He has laid down terms of specific blessing in the Bible.

THE JOYFUL KEY
Many Bible verses talk about the attitude of the heart behind our giving.

• A cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7.
• To bless Jesus disciples. Matthew 10:42.
• Out of Kindness. Proverbs 19:17.
• As giving unto Jesus. Matthew 25:40.
• Out of love. Hebrews 6:10.
• To do good. Galatians 6:9.

Just to list a few attitudes God promises to reward.

THE BETTER WAY
God looks at our motivation and blesses our giving because of our attitude. If giving to God was a way to create wealth it would be unfair of God who first gives the wealth to a person then asks for it back to in order to give them more. It would be unfair for those in poor communities or suffer disabilities.

God in love considers not the giving but the heart behind the giving. The poorest person may be rich in hi heart with no money to give but still receive God's blessing. It is just and fair for everybody that God blesses the heart attitude behind the giving and rewards the nobler attitude.