Financial Principles: Being A Generous Giver

Nicoline

I want to start off my post this week by acknowledging how much last week’s love letter resonated with so many of you. I think it speaks to the fact that there are a lot people out there that are fiercely protective of their friends and their friends’ hearts.

It’s amazing and I am so excited that I was able to say what you’ve all been thinking. Such an affirmation that God knows what’s up and is directing this S+B adventure. The rest of us are all along for the ride! 

I spent a bit of time this week contemplating how to follow up such a popular post. Do I adjust my writing to mirror that language? Do I only talk about relationships? And yet I also heard, Don’t chase the hype, Sarah. Keep doing what you’re doing. Every post can’t be five times your average.

Thankfully, I have great friends and family members that remind me of truth and keep me grounded. And so this week I’m doing a bit of hybrid: continuing the Financial Principles series while simultaneously tackling a topic that has been on my heart this week: giving.

This post might be a little long, but I’m getting the sense that it’s important to work through this one together. What is the biblical truth without the practical application and heart implications and vice versa? 

To recap, back in September we talked about FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES: UNDERSTANDING THE STEWARD MINDSET and then earlier this month we discussed FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES: BEING A DILIGENT EARNER. The next logical progression is that you give out of your earnings, before saving and spending.

Honestly, this is so ingrained in my head at this stage of my life that I struggle to imagine another way of approaching my finances.

And yet, I want to be clear: if you do things different from me, that is okay!

We’re all on our own journeys. The revelations and freedoms I’ve had in this area are impossible to place on someone else. It’s unfair to even try. 

However, I am growing increasingly confident and comfortable with using this platform to say the things I think we need to hear. I think it's because I know that I am saying it out of love and with the same voice I’d use to explain it to my best friend.

My heart is to help you grow – in knowledge, confidence, and courage – and provide you with the tough topics, hard questions, and counter-cultural thought processes to get you there.

My approach won’t be for everyone. I have been told that I am “such a New Yorker” due to my intense nature, bluntness, and passion, but I trust that God made me with a purpose and that purpose involves this blog and the mission of edifying urban Christian women.

All that being said, we ready to get into it?

The Good $ense Ministry defines a Generous Giver as one who gives with an obedient will, joyful attitude, and compassionate heart. I would break their tenants into the following categories: giving as an expression of godliness, giving as a way to effectuate heart change, giving as a sign of spiritual maturity, and giving as to love the other.

Giving as an expression of Godliness

You were created in God’s image and, considering He sacrificed His only son for the salvation of the world, I’d say it’s safe to say He’s a giver!

We are made to give.

“We are made in the image of God” - Genesis 1:26-27

Notice that I did not say that other people need us to give. That’s not it at all.

This is about you.

And as with everything, you function best when you allow yourself to be who you were made to be.

Give as a response to God’s goodness.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above” - James 1:17 

We give because we have received or seen generosity and kindness and want to share it with others in return. It reminds me of that Liberty Mutual commercial from a few years ago where people paid kindness forward after either seeing or receiving it themselves.

Give to focus on God as our source and security.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well” - Matthew 6:33

I think that this truth was the biggest reason I needed to learn to give and I wasn’t even aware of it. By that I mean, that there is big spiritual distinction between knowing God’s character as a provider in your head and putting your money where your heart is and actually making it so that you believe you need to rely on His provision.

This is not an endorsement for financial irresponsibility. It is a comment on developing a deeper relationship with your heavenly Father that means you believe with your whole being that He has got you.

Giving as way to effectuate heart change

If I asked you to think about someone who gives well how would you describe them?

For me, the people I think of are kind. They are generous and then when you thank them they shrug it off and say Don’t worry about it! I'm happy to do it. It's my pleasure. They are at ease with their actions and decisions. They appear genuinely content to love me and others this way.

You can ask any of my siblings or friends from high school and they will confirm that I was quite miserly before God changed my heart. I was convinced that the money I earned was mine, needed to be protected, and couldn’t be spent on myself let alone anyone else.

I thought I was being smart and wise by saving everything I earned, but the reality was that I was living with a poverty mindset and the fruit – or lack thereof – proved it.  

Even after I became a Christian in college, I knew that generosity was important and yet I struggled with embodying it. While I believed I was a changed person, I couldn’t shake the ungodly beliefs of the past twenty years as it related to giving.

And then slowly, Jesus tugged at my heart.

I became aware of how my entire life was the result of continuous generosity: essentially everything beyond necessities that I received from my parents, trips aboard, meals from friends, presents from siblings, etc.

I realized that I wanted to be like these kind people and, as I do with everything, I developed my giving "muscle" by accepting the following challenge from God:

When I prompt you to do something, I want you to do it regardless of whether it makes sense or not. I am inviting you to receive a heart transplant. I am a trained physician and you are my patient. You are ill-equipped to question my expertise in this area. Please, trust me.

As God transformed my heart, I slowly began to:

• Give joyfully, generously, in a timely manner

“Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints” - 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

n.b. Truth be told, sometimes I’m not always timely, but I’m working on it!

• Give wisely

“We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift” - 2 Corinthians 8:20

• Give expectantly and cheerfully

“The one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully” - 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NLT; see also verses 10-14

I feel like I make this caveat every week, but I am certainly not perfect. There are days of selfishness and moment of distrust. This is more about trajectory and the posture of the heart than adhering to perfection.

Giving as a sign of spiritual maturity

Once God loosened my grip on my money and I started giving, I entered into a season of aspiring towards increasing spiritual maturation as I assumed I'd figured it all out. I wanted to make sure that I never was stingy again! I would think to myself The old is gone and the new is here. That means I must show through my giving how spiritually mature I am.

Wrong again.

Motives for giving are important.

“If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:3

If we don’t have our heart in the right place, we could be sacrificing and benefit no one. It’s especially important if you give to “check the box” of Christian things to do.

“You hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” - Matthew 23:23

Honestly, I think God would rather you not give at all than give because that’s what you’re supposed to do.

This might be surprising, but the Lord of the universe doesn’t need your moneyI His priority is the health of your heart and calling you to help build His kingdom. He made day, land, the concept of money, love, etc. Pretty sure He’s not lacking in anything, let alone something he created (money).

Giving as to love the other.

There are other people that are lacking though. They lack shelter, stability, love, food, and water among other things. An important part about giving is understanding that there are times where the benefit of your giving directly impacts someone in need.

Give to help achieve economic justice.

“Our desire . . . is that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need” - 2 Corinthians 8:13-14

Give to bless others.

“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. And I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing” – Genesis 12:2-3

This one was a big one for me. Once it dawned on me that I am blessed not because I’m awesome and deserve everything I’m receiving so that I can do more for myself but rather in my blessing I am enabled to be an even greater blessing to others, I felt increasing freedom in my career and personal finances. 

This revelation of "being blessed to bless others" put my drive and aspirational desires into perspective and provided an explanation for how to pursue success with a kingdom mindset.

Be willing to share.

“Command them [the rich] to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” – I Timothy 6:18

Truth be told, there are so many ways to give. You can give time, connections, clout, finances, resources, and so much more.

Giving is not just about money, but I also do not think you can give willingly without also giving away some of your money. In my experience it is just too powerful to leave untouched while you volunteer, advocate for others, and share your things.

However, I absolutely believe that God works in mysterious ways. Your personal relationship with Him could lead to outcomes that are atypical compared to what we expect giving to look like.

Pursue Him earnestly and He will direct your path!