Courtney Gilmore Over twenty-five years have passed since my husband and I first started out in a tiny little home on his family’s land, with a bunch of hand-me-down furniture. We had everything we needed but not much more than that.
Not long ago, we watched a home video of our daughter when she was just a baby and I asked my husband, “Where are all of our things?” He smiled and said, “Courtney, that’s all we had. All our things are right there.”
Over the years, we accumulated many more things and we no longer live on the family land. His career led us elsewhere and we’ve bought our own smaller piece of land and are building a house big enough for several future grandkids to run around in one day, or so we hope. We’re able to give away some hand-me-downs now instead of receiving them. So, today, in comparison to what we had then, we live in abundance.
God’s Blessings
The Israelites too would live in an inherited land and begin to acquire many things. But Moses knew the tendency to feel pride and take credit, so he warned them,
Take care… lest when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God.
He brought you… out of the house of slavery. God led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water. He brought you water out of the flinty rock. The Lord fed you in the wilderness…
Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth.
Deuteronomy 8:11-18
It’s easy to look at the house we’ve built, the pantry full of food, the house full of things, and the money in the bank, and think that we did this, concluding that all the years of hard work have gotten us to this more comfortable place.
But God says, “No, all you have is mine. I’ve led you all these years. I gave you the ability and talent required to do your job well. I blessed the work of your hand and I multiplied your prosperity. All you have are blessings from Me. You did not acquire this on your own.”
Give Back
So, because He’s given us everything we have, He requires that we give back. The Israelites were commanded to give a tenth of their food to the Levites. They had no land or job of their own. There was no way for them to provide for themselves, because their lives were spent in service to the Lord on behalf of the people. So, the people provided for them with their tithes. They were also required to provide for the poor and needy, the widows and the orphans, and the strangers living among them.
God requires the same of us today. When we give to our churches, we are paying those who have dedicated their lives to the ministry and keeping the church running. When we give to those in need and care for the vulnerable and lonely, we reflect God’s generous character to them, in hopes of drawing them to Him.
Withholding is Theft
Since this is a requirement and not a request, when we keep for ourselves the portion that belongs to God, we’re withholding something that doesn’t belong to us. So, by not giving to our church, we are stealing from God. You may think I’m exaggerating things a bit, but these are not my words. They are His.
“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me.”
But you say, “How have we robbed You?”
“In your tithes and contributions. You are curse with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in My house.”
Malachi 3:8-10
Test Me in This
So, we don’t want to steal from God. But, what if we’re barely making ends meet as it is? Or what if we are saving what little extra we have for a time when we may need it ourselves? How can God expect us to give away what we don’t have or what we may need in the future?
Put Me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed.
Malachi 3:10-12
Giving Profits Everyone
We need to trust that God will not withhold from us if we do not withhold from Him. If we give to Him and others, then He’ll continue to give to us until all our needs are met. As a matter of fact, He’ll give generously to those who are generous.
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first-fruits of all your produce, then your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will be bursting with wine.
Proverbs 3:9-10
So, we don’t need to worry about having enough for ourselves. God will provide for us when we willingly provide for others.
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.
Luke 6:38
Even if we never get paid back by those that we lend to, God will pay us back. He will not allow us to find ourselves lacking just because we obeyed Him.
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Proverbs 19:17
Withholding Will Not Profit
Honestly, how can we ask Him to give us more than we are willing to give to others? What if He decided to withhold from us because we withhold from Him? Or what if He took from us and gave to someone who didn’t take credit for His gifts and who are generous?
Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit, gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.
Proverbs 28:8
If we withhold from Him or from others, either for our own selfish gain or because we are worried we won’t have enough for ourselves later, then what happens if we find ourselves in need one day? Could we still fairly ask God or others for help when we weren’t willing to give when we were able?
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
Whoever sows sparingly, will also reap sparingly. Whoever sows bountifully, will reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
So, first, we need to recognize that nothing we have really belongs to us anyway. It all belongs to the Lord, and in His generosity, He has chosen to give to us. So, we should willingly give to others.
In the parable of the talents, the master gave more to those who managed his money well and took away from the one who did nothing useful with it.
For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
Matthew 25:29
So, don’t withhold from those in need. Don’t rob God. Give as it has been given to you and trust that God will repay to you all that you gave away. Let it be that He says of you
Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your Master.
Matthew 25:23
This is an excerpt from Episode 109 “Taking and Giving” on Podcast and YouTube
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