This Matter of Giving: Why Me?

1 John 3:16-18 (KJV) Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

There are not many touchy subjects like that of giving (in the church) today. This matter has supplied plenty of ammunition with which many skeptics, cynics and all sorts have used to attack the church. Part of this is due to its abuse of application and the paucity of (balanced) teaching on the subject matter. However, a proper examination of the scriptures will supply light and impart understanding on the matter.

Much like everything else, giving for the Christian is based on what he has received of God. In our today’s text, we see the Bible referencing the sacrifice of Jesus for us, and in the very next breath speaking of how the believer must likewise lay his life for his brethren and gave the example of meeting the need of a brother by giving.

By virtue of salvation, we have received a new spirit which stems from God. Therefore, love is now our character definition, and love is best displayed through sacrifice. Remember the Bible charges husbands to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25)? You can ask any woman how she knows that her husband loves her. I assure you, it won’t just be “When he says ‘I love you’ while looking at my with puppy eyes”.

A husband can say ‘I love you’ until he gets blue in the face, but if he doesn’t back that with corresponding actions, his ‘I love you’ will begin to sound like noise. Ephesians 5:25 that we referenced reads, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it;”.

Go into today armed with the knowledge that we give in the light of what we have received (Salvation in Christ) and what we have become (New Creations).

Say to yourself: I am in Christ, I am a giver because He is my source. I have and I give, I give abundantly. I lend to the nations and not borrow. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

—Ikechukwu Mpama

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Yearly Bible Plan: Genesis 8-11 (In the Devotional Audio)