Why Give?
When to give?
Heavens knows we have plenty to save for.
When you are a child, you really don’t have any money, at least the lemonade stand doesn’t bring enough in to give any away. As you reach adolescence you could give money away, but what would you do when it came time to buy some clothes, hang out with friends, or ask that girl out. It’s not like mowing lawns leaves much left over. College certainly doesn’t allow for frivolous spending on others, let alone yourself – I mean how many bowls of Ramen noodles can one person consume in a week?
Then there’s the recently graduated. After paying loans for bills, there just isn’t anything left. The recently married – saving for a house. New to have kids? Diapers aren’t free, you know. As the kids get older, it would be foolish not to save for college. By the time they’ve moved on to careers, you can finally settle down to a routine to save for retirement, you know they say there won’t be any social security when we retire. When you’ve finally reached retirement – now you are on a fixed income.
There is always an excuse. A way out. There is always tomorrow. Same goes for taking the time to volunteer. There is always tomorrow. What we don’t often consider is why we need to give. God has enough doesn’t he?
I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
10 for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know every bird in the mountains,
and the insects in the fields are mine.Psalm 50:9-11
He doesn’t need what we have. In fact we are always asking him for things – aren’t we?
I believe that it is vital to give because of the transformation in causes in us.
"store" in Abakrampa
The rich young ruler (Matthew 19) followed all the rules, but when Jesus asked him to sell all he had and give to the poor, he went away downcast. Why? Because his heart was still devoted to his things, not God.
When we give we are saying to God that we are willing to be his conduit to helping others. When we give we are living in accordance to Scripture. When we give we are proving that we love others more than ourselves. When we give we are trusting that God will continue to provide for us.
Give of your time – you will make an impact. Give of your money – you will be blessed. Give of your love – it has already been lavished on you.
We love because He first loved us.
I John 4:19