iMoney: Embracing God's Design For Your Finances: The "IT" Factor
What is the "IT" factor?
As we continue to look at God's design for our lives and we desire to live infused by the power of the Holy Spirit, we must continue to examine our thoughts, actions, and attitudes according to the teaching of scripture. As we specifically continue to look at our finances this week, I want to draw your attention to an area that should captivate the heart and attitude of all believers.
This "IT" factor is Generosity.
The word generous means: 1. showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected. 2. showing kindness toward others. 3. larger or more plentiful than is usual or necessary.
If we are truly going to be good stewards (managers) of the resources that God has intrusted to us than we need to have a willingness to give generously to others as we seek to be Christ's ambassadors in this world.
Go ahead and open your Bible to 1 Timothy 6:17-19
"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
First Paul tells Timothy "Command those who are rich..." for many of us we instantly think this doesn't apply to me, after all, I'm not a wealthy executive or a billionaire like Bill Gates. However, we shouldn't be so quick to dismiss this command. Look at these 2014 statistics. (I did round the numbers to make it simpler.)
World wide the average per capita income is nearly $10,000.
Keep in mind that there are many countries where people live on less than $2 a day.
In the US the average per capita income is just above $45,500.
Using these nice rounded figures, the average US income is 455% higher that the average world income. So I think it is easy enough to say "You are the rich people of the world."
Not only are we rich on the world scale, we who are Christ followers are spiritually rich. Therefore, this command is for us.
God's plan is for us to put our hope in God, not in possessions, or money, or anything else. God alone is our source of hope and provision. God wants us "to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share."
God has a plan for our generosity.
Turn to 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever.”
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"In this passage Paul is writing about the collection that the Christians at Corinth are sending to feed the starving people in Jerusalem. This is in reference to an offering above what is being collected to meet local needs. He is encouraging them to give and think generously. Paul is saying that if you have to be compelled to give to those in need that it really isn't giving. After all God loves a cheerful giver. God desires His people to want to give to meet needs. To demonstrate their love through providing God's resources to demonstrate the beauty of God's kingdom. Here he quotes Psalm 112:9 as a prophesy of God's generous people who bring Him glory, praise, and honor for there selflessness.
So let's examine ourselves:
Three Reasons People Give
#1 We give to receive something.
This type of giving is a giving that is motivated by selfishness. This type of giving isn't motivated by God's love, mercy, and grace. Though the Bible does make mention of the rewards of giving generously, that shouldn't be our motivation. Remember what 1 Corinthians 13 says, "Love is not self seeking."
This type of giving isn't encouraged in scripture. Philippians 2:3 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition. Don't let greed be the measure of you giving, let love motivate you.
#2 We give out obedience. There are various reasons we give out of obedience. These can be good or bad, so this calls for self-examination. Some people give out of obedience because they desire to love, honor, and respect God. Others give because they are afraid of some consequence for disobedience.
Obedience giving is often a good place to start. It often shows a desire to draw closer to God. However we need to be careful that obedience giving doesn't make us prideful or arrogant. Some have began to see themselves as a great spiritual giant because of the obedience to God's commands, in this we can become very Pharisaical in our devotion to God. (Look at how holy I am!!!!!!)
Obedience giving generally only deals tithing but can proceed into generosity when we desire to follow commands to give generously like in 1 Timothy 6.
Turn to Leviticus 27:30-32
“‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. Whoever would redeem any of their tithe must add a fifth of the value to it. Every tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd’s rod—will be holy to the Lord."
or Malachi 3:6-12
“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.
“But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
“Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’
“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty. “Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty."
Many will read these passages and in obedience they give. Scripture does encourage us to be obedient to God in all things.
#3 We give in response or sacrificially.
This type of giving isn't based out of selfishness or fear, it is a generosity that is motivated by our awe for the magnitude of God's love. When a Christian begins to grasp the overwhelming, life transforming truth of the Gospel - how Christ Jesus, who made everything, owns everything, maintains everything, and provides everything, forsook the glory He rightfully deserved to be made a little lower than the angels and was born as a mere human sacrificed His life for me.
While I was still God's enemy, Jesus died for me. When I was naked, wretched, and poor He loved me, clothed me, cleansed me, healed me, and set me free. This is motivation! If He can give His all, how can I do less. I need to be generous as He is generous. I need to be more like Him. I am responding to his love, so tell me, how much is too much for my Jesus?
One of my favorite passages on generosity is found in Mark 12:41-45.
"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.”"
Here we see an amazing demonstration of sacrificial giving. This woman wants to bless God. She doesn't have extra money to pull out of savings so she gives God her everything. Jesus said she put it all in---all she had to live on. And He praises this. This is the faith response He has been looking for.
This woman is trusting God in every way. She may just go home and die of starvation. She may live the rest of her life in abundance. The Bible doesn't say. But Jesus declared that her act of generosity was greater than all the others. Her gift was greater than all the rich people before her because it required unwavering trust in God.
In 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 Paul praises the Christians of Macedonia because their poverty welled up in great generosity.
This is the way of God! This is the way of a Holy Spirit infused follower of Christ.
The "IT" factor - GENEROSITY
It aligns our hearts, minds, and attitudes toward God.
God desires all of you. This after this is the greatest commandment: To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
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