Why Give?

There are only five ways that I can use my money, in the short term. I can pay taxes, pay off debt, spend, save and invest, and give. Every financial decision that I make reflects my balance and prioritization among those areas.

Those five areas compete… my taxes go up, my retirement contribution should be higher, my debt looms larger as the economy falters, my children have more expensive needs as they grow, my church asks for more money, and on it goes. As a result of the competition, the giving “bucket” may become my last priority, and thinking about it can provoke strong feelings. While I may desire to give more generously and intentionally, I feel fear about my financial future, guilt that I cannot do more to help the needy, and frustration that my own budgeting efforts fall short. Even if I am “affluent” by the world’s standards, I still wrestle with questions about an uncertain future, provision for my family, and wisdom in allocating resources.

So, why give? (Other than that I know it’s the “right” thing to do?) Really, why did God ask His followers to give, and how do I give out of sincere motives rather than out of guilt?

In my years of counseling clients on financial decision-making, I have found that, no matter the income level, people struggle with fear, frustration, and guilt in their financial lives. In my experience, those who are most free from those emotional by-products of financial decision-making are those who are the most generous. Why? Why are generosity and financial freedom so tied together?

I believe that the reason financial freedom and generosity are linked has to do with what Randy Alcorn calls “The Treasure Principle” in his book by that same name. Matthew 6:21 says simply, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” God wants our hearts, not our money. He wants us to know and to absorb the fact that He owns it all. God – the all powerful, all knowing, and all loving God – owns every resource, including those entrusted to our care. When you and I give, we open our hand. We loosen our grip on the resources He’s given us. We acknowledge His purposes as higher than our own and His provision as more complete than our own. When we give, we put our treasure into His kingdom and we free our heart from the constraints of our own “mini-kingdom.”

Giving changes our perspective. It orients our thinking toward God’s ownership, control, and purposes. It frees us from believing that we are ultimately responsible for our financial well-being. It reminds us of the bigger context of our world and our place within it. It expresses that we trust that God’s economy is the real economy.

Yes, giving is so important because Jesus tells us to look after the needs of others in the world who are hurting. That is why giving is important to the needy. The reason giving is important to those of us who are full, warm, and safe is because it changes our perspective. It opens our hand. It brings us closer to the heart of God.

COPYRIGHT © 2011 RONALD W. BLUE & KINGDOM ADVISORS, INC.

What’s New on the BWC Bookshelf

In last month’s feature article, Ron Blue talked about achieving financial contentment. This month, we would like to continue with that theme and highlight an interesting book by Lorilee Craker, Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving. Instead of merely offering tips and tricks to help us save more, Craker challenges readers to carefully examine personal spending habits and think about what’s really important, both now and in the long run. These basic principles are part of discovering what we at BWC like to call True Wealth.