The holidays are considered by many as the Season of Giving. As we take this time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the original Christmas gift, we can reflect on the spiritual importance of giving.
The bible teaches us that giving is obedience to God. In Exodus Chapter 35, the Israelites gave their time and materials to build the tabernacle. In 2 Samuel 24, King David insisted on paying for his sacrifice, a gift in obedience to God, and in John 6, the giving of a small boy with five loaves and two fish... led to the feeding of five thousand.
God calls us to give, because He desires the best for ALL of us. We know that God doesn't need our money... He wants our hearts.
At a recent church service the Holy Spirit spoke to Jonathan, a man who has Down Syndrome. He doesn't attend church often, but that day, he said the Lord told him he needed to go.
That was the Sunday Missionary Associate Nettamara Doak shared how everyBODY deserved to the hear the message of Hope found in Jesus. After the service, Jonathan said he was glad he came to church that day and would like to help by giving all the money (a few dollars) in his pocket.
Giving is a way to show our thankfulness to God. In Genesis 24, Abram wanted to give back to the Lord, as God's representative on earth. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us that "God loves a cheerful giver." Giving builds our faith and provides an opportunity for God to bless us - 2 Corinthians 9:8 continues "And God is able to shower all kinds of blessings on you. So in all things and at all times you will have everything you need."
It was early evening at Wisconsin Summer Get Away and a cabin of girls with intellectual disabilities had just decided to use their money for ice cream at the snack stand after service was over. During the evening service, a story was shared from the Chivers' trip to Ukraine. When a special offering was collected for helping those with disabilities in Ukraine, the girls told their Caregiver they wanted to give their money in support of those children, instead of buying ice cream.
The following day, a surprising thing happened, the campground had extra ice cream and decided to give it out to all the guests as a special treat. God showed these girls, in a tangible way they could understand... By choosing to give what they had, God could bless them.
The bible tells us many times of the blessings when we give. Luke 6:38 says, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good amount will be poured into your lap. It will be pressed down, shaken together, and running over. The same amount you give will be measured out to you." Proverbs 11:25 reads, "The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself."
These biblical lessons span across all ages, financial means, and abilities... encouraging ALL of us to give based on what we have. "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have." 2 Corinthians 8:12
Giving teaches us obedience, shows us how to be thankful, builds our faith, and provides a way for God to bless us. If we believe God's promises are for all of us, then ALL of us must have an opportunity to give.
