Courtney Gilmore Have you ever noticed that sometimes more is given when there is no set amount required? Maybe it is because we just naturally seem to give begrudgingly when it is required of us. Or maybe it is because we are placing a limit on generosity. For whatever reason, people sometimes give more when they are not required & there is no limit.
In the Old Testament, God told the people to tithe, (give 10%). But in the New Testament, He said to be generous. I’ve heard many Christians say that tithing is no longer a requirement & we should all just give whatever we decide is best in our own individual circumstances. This is the verse often quoted: “Let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7
While I agree that we should not give begrudgingly & with a willing and cheerful heart, I wonder if God was just not putting a limit on our generosity by not requiring a certain amount. Maybe He wants us to go above the 10% required & give as much as we can until the need is met. When God gave the Israelites the list of supplies needed for the building of the Tabernacle, He said, “Take from among you an offering to the Lord. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord.” Exodus 35:5
There was no set amount required. Yet, look at the results. “They received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of making the sanctuary & they continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, & they spoke to Moses, saying, ‘The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do.’ …and the people were restrained from bringing. For the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much.” Exodus 36:3-7
What a wonderful problem to have! The donations exceeded the need! Let’s look again at the Corinthians verse, while also considering its surrounding verses. “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
While there may not be a set requirement here, the Lord says to give abundantly & you will receive abundantly. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house.’ Try Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” That is exactly what happened with the donations for the Tabernacle. They had more than they knew what to do with!
So, consider giving beyond the required tithe & see if your gift is not multiplied & your blessings too!
This is the 1st excerpt of Episode 71 “Beautiful and Costly” on Podcast & YouTube
