The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. -Proverbs 11:25
Traditionally, the time between Halloween and New Year’s is considered a time of giving, helping those in need, and of being thankful for what we have. Over the past few years, this time frame has been dubbed “giving season” or “a season of giving”, and with good reason.
Statistics show that over half of the nonprofits in America receive more than a quarter of their yearly contributions between October and December- and for 16% of those organizations, they receive over half of their year’s contributions during this time.
As believers in Jesus Christ, our giving should look different than that of the world, just as our lives should look different. For us, giving to others should be more than just a season within a calendar year- it should be a lifestyle choice that we make on a daily basis.
Why do we give?
There are a number of reasons why people actually give to those in need, or to organizations with a worthy cause.
The “warm fuzzies” that the holiday season brings seem to motivate many to reach deeper into their pockets than other times of the year. During the holiday season, there is a heightened societal awareness of need within our communities, which results in increased giving.
Although less attractive, tax write-offs are also a motivating factor for giving at this time of year. This is especially true of big businesses or wealthy individuals who need additional charitable giving in the books before the calendar year rolls over.
For believers, however, our motivation for giving should come from a much deeper level than feelings and bank records. Jesus demonstrated the type of love that we should have for our brothers and sisters, and one of the most practical ways to love others is to help meet their physical needs. Not only does giving show love to others, but it softens the heart of the giver.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. but if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression in us. -1 John 4:11-12
To whom should we give?
Giving is a personal choice, and there are a variety of worthy causes which would greatly benefit from the gifts of those willing to contribute. When it comes to deciding where or to whom we should give, it is important to make the decision with prayer and leading of the Holy Spirit.
Before giving to an organization, it would be prudent to research where your donations will go and how they will be used.
Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you… Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.”- Luke 6:30, 35-36
When should we give?
Need knows no season. It knows no gender, ethnicity, marital status, or education level. One must only look beyond their front door to see people in need. As believers, we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us. If we are sensitive to His leading, God through His Spirit will prod our hearts when the time is right to give to others.
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say, “Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.” -Proverbs 3:27-28
How much should we give?
In short, we should give however much God leads us to give. This is different for everyone, and it shows itself in various ways. Although this article is talking mostly about monetary giving, there are other ways to give to those in need through donations of time and services.
The Bible instructs believers to tithe (give) a percentage of our income to the local church. Leviticus 27:30 designates this percentage as 10%. So, in essence, the tithe is the first 10% of a person’s income that should be given to the local church. This tithe is strictly measured in money, so it can’t be replaced with time or services.
In addition to tithing, believers can also give through offerings. Dave Ramsey explains the different between tithes and offerings well:
A tithe is an amount (a percentage of your income) and an offering is anything given beyond that, but not in place of tithe. After you’ve tithed, you can give in other ways: Giving a cash offering to your church above and beyond the tithe, giving money to a charity you support, giving to a friend or neighbor in need, or giving of your time or talents. Not only does giving of your money or other resources generate good in the lives of others, it also generates contentment in your heart.
Although a tithe is based strictly on a percentage of income, our offerings can be any amount that we feel led to give. An interesting data report from the IRS shows a U-shaped relationship between income and charitable giving. Individuals at the high and low end of the income spectrum tend to give a higher percentage of their income than those in the middle of the spectrum.
This statistic is surprising, as most would assume that percentage of giving would be directly correlated to level of income. However, it could be argued that those with lower incomes are more compassionate towards the needs of others because they themselves have been in need. Despite their meager resources, those with low incomes choose to give and trust God to take care of their own needs, as He is using them to satisfy the needs of their brothers and sisters.
You must each decide in your own heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. -2 Corinthians 9:7-8
Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” Then these righteous will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?” And the King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” -Matthew 25:34-40
