Hey Friends, this topic is my heart! I’m so in tune with giving back to the needy. Any type of charity stirs my heart. So, let’s chat a little about Giving and Charity.
Giving generously demonstrates proper gratitude to God. When we give, we acknowledge what has been given to us. We give to others from the bounty of God’s blessings in our life. Generosity is an outflow of our celebration of God’s goodness.
In Matthew 6:1-4 Jesus instructs us to give with as little fanfare as possible. In fact, our generosity should be so low-key that our left hand doesn’t know what our right hand is doing. That prevents us from wrongly receiving credit for God’s work.
The offering of the widow who quietly offered two mites-coins that had very little value to anyone but her moved Jesus because they were all she had.
The faithfulness, obedience, and trust of her offering made it priceless in God’s eyes. And if we give with the same spirit, our gifts will accomplish much.
So today, let’s challenge ourselves to give today. It can be paying for the car behind you meal at the drive thru, going through your closet and donating clothes, shoes, etc. that you don’t wear anymore, sending someone a random cash app for lunch, etc. let's give back what was freely given to us from the Father.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the ways in which you have blessed me. I pray that you will help me to steward those blessings well and help me to be more generous to those around me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Scripture Reference
Acts 2:44-45 All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had a need.
Matthew 6:1-4 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“So, when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Proverbs 3:27-28 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you” when you already have it with you.
Acts 4:32-35 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Mark 12:41-44 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. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you; this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”