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In Part 1 we looked into the first five areas of giving in order to become the best we can in this area of stewardship. We continue with areas 6 through to 10.
6. GIVE CHEERFULLY. If you always put yourself in the place of the receiver when you are giving you will always be ecstatically joyful – even when a sacrificial offering is being made.
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
All the officials and all the people brought their contributions gladly, dropping them into the chest until it was full.
2 Chronicles 24:10 (NIV)
7. GIVE SPONTANEOUSLY. As well as giving regularly for ongoing needs it’s also important to be ready to give when crises or new needs arise. But needs arise all around us all the time, and we only have a limited amount of money or time to give, so how do we decide who to give to? The secret is this: the prompting of the Holy Spirit. If you are open to his leading, he will certainly bring needs across our path. The question is, will you be ready to respond? And an even more important question: will you be listening?
This [giving] was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard.
2 Corinthians 8:5 (MSG)
8. GIVE PRIVATELY. There are times when it’s tempting to ‘look good’ in front of others when giving – especially when a significant gift is being made. If this is a temptation for you, make the decision straight away that you will not let anyone know about your gift.
When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—'playactors' I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
Matthew 6:3-4 (MSG)
9. GIVE PROMPTLY. When we give, we can often think that the gift is coming from us. The truth is, it’s coming from God – we are just the channels through which he gives. We are just stewards of the possessions God has entrusted us with. So if you make a pledge or are giving your tithe, make sure that you do it at the set time. If you don’t then you are holding back something which does not strictly belong to you. You are blocking God’s channel of blessing. To be blunt, it’s dangerously close to stealing!
You shall not delay to bring to Me from the fullness [of your harvested grain] and the outflow [of your grape juice and olive oil]; give Me the firstborn of your sons [or redeem them].
Exodus 22:29 (AMP)
10. GIVE FULLY. Another slant on the above point, but one that can bring catastrophic results if ignored. If you commit to giving something away, then let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’ (Matthew 5:37). Don’t try and kid yourself or lie to the Holy Spirit about what amount you said you were giving away.
But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest. Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified.
Acts 5:1-5 (NLT)
We hope you have gained some wisdom and understanding with regards to the art of giving. But remember, the Bible tells us that he who merely listens to the word and does not do it, deceives himself. So, in order to actually raise your standard of giving – put these 10 tips into practice from now on.
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