Simple Giving
“Give and it will be given to you.” These words, spoken by our Lord Jesus, reveal a powerful spiritual principle, one that touches every person in every condition. It is a universal principle that needs many examples for us to fully understand. Listen further to the words of Jesus:
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
“Do not judge and you will not be judged.”
“Do not condemn and you will not be condemned.”
“Forgive and you will be forgiven.”
“Give and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” NIV
And we can add many examples of this principle that we can see in our daily lives. For instance, if you smile at someone they will most likely smile back. If you strike someone chances are they will hit you back. If you show kindness you are almost certain to have someone show you kindness in return. Are you beginning to get the picture? We reap what we sow.
But a principal is not a formula
As we have seen, Jesus said, “Give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together and running over.” In other words, the Lord promises that when we give we will receive back in some way, and then some.
Are these encouraging words for these hard economic times? Are they comforting for those who feel they are just getting by?, or for those who are unemployed? Maybe these words really are the answer. “Give and it shall be given unto you.” “Seek ye first His kingdom, and all these things shall be added unto you.” You have already heard that everything belongs to God, and everything we receive is a blessing from Him. In the book of Malachi the Lord tells us to return a portion back to Him in the manner of tithes and offerings. And when we do, He says He will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings until our storehouses overflow. Another interesting thing about this scripture is that it is the only place in the entire Bible, that I know of, where we are actually asked to test God.
Obviously, if the Lord owns everything He doesn’t really need our tithes and offerings, but He has gone to great lengths to teach us how things work. If we want to release the abundance of the kingdom of heaven, we must first give.
The questions always arise: What is a tithe? How much is enough? To what should I give? It’s amazing how one could even ask, “How much can I give to my Savior? To the one who offers me eternal life, what would be enough?” To these questions I have three answers:
1. You can’t out-give God.
2. The Lord wishes you to be a cheerful giver. So start with what you can do cheerfully.
3. There are hundreds of places where the Lord’s work can use your offerings.
The choice is yours. He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Many examples of how this principle works can be found if you look. It is not complicated, but it requires faith.
Friends, if you want a live, vibrant church you have to bring that life and give it. If you want nice facilities, or a well-supplied Sunday school, you have to be willing to give to that cause. Anything that gets provided or improved is the direct result of someone giving a portion of what they have. They give their time, their money, and their love and prayers. Throughout the entire world the Lord’s work gets done through us in this way.
Finally, I leave you with this thought: If Jesus did not give Himself on the cross, what hope would there be for us today? Could it be any clearer? Give and you will receive!
