“To me . . grace was given . . the unfathomable riches of Christ.” Ephesians 3:8 NAS
“Giving is a family trait. When you give with grace, you are most like your Heavenly Father.”
My thoughts today are about “grace given and grace of giving.”
I think that people basically would like to be generous, but giving just does not come easily to us. One of the few things the tiniest infant can do is grip something tightly in their little hand, and we seem never to lose that ability. It seems most natural to hold fast rather than to let go. We gather, store, and hoard. And the more someone seems to have, the more reluctant to give any of it away.
But the Bible is pretty clear about the path to abundance and blessing. “One person gives freely, yet gains more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor. A generous person will be enriched and the one who gives water will receive water.” Proverbs 11.24-25. Release is the key to increase.
The grace of giving flows from the heart overflowing with the grace given to you – “the unfathomable riches of Christ!” I guess you have to firmly believe that when you give what you should give, it is not lost but loaned to the Lord Who will repay. “Give and it will be given to you; a good measure – pressed down, shaken together and running over – will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6.38.
The first step in the grace of giving is to realize that everything belongs to God, and everything you have comes from Him. See Romans 11:36 NIV. “Now the One Who provides seed to the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness as you are enriched in every way for all generosity.” 2 Corinthians 9.10.
God established a principle of sowing and reaping. The principle is really simple. First of all, you reap what you sow. Also, you reap more than you sow. More importantly, you reap nothing if you do not sow something. “Remember this: the person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should give as he has determined in his heart – not with regret or from necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9.6. My grandfather, Charles McGinness, often said to his congregation, “Don’t give until it hurts. Give until it stops hurting.” That’s when you experience the grace of giving.
Giving isn’t really about money. Giving is about heart, about love, and about God and others. Growing up, I often heard my Dad say, “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” I have found that to be true. Where giving is restricted, love is lacking. Who has not seen a young child bring a pretty (or sometimes not so pretty) wild flower to their Mom saying, “I love you Mommy?” Their love has to find some way of expression, just like God’s.
Who could forget the most familiar verse of all, “For God so loved the world that He gave . . “ John 3.16. Giving is a family trait. When you give graciously and generously, you are most like your Heavenly Father. Jesus said, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” Luke 12:32.
My prayer for you today is to let your giving be according to the grace you’re given.