HOW TO GIVE

 

HOW TO GIVE

II Cor. 8:11 Now you should carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it. Give whatever you can according to what you have. NLT

The church at Corinth had made a commitment to financially help the church in Jerusalem. They saw the need and responded to it. The Apostle Paul held them accountable for their commitment.

There are a few things to note here that should serve as a warning to us. First, we can get caught up in our emotions and make promises that we may find it hard to keep later on or we may even be unwilling to keep. We need to be careful when it comes to making promises, especially to the Lord.

The Lord does not take lightly our promises. When we make a promise to Him or before Him, He expects us to keep them and He will hold us accountable for it. Our words are our honor and when we fail to keep them, it tarnishes our integrity before both God and man. Promises made that are not kept makes us untrustworthy and reflects on our standing with God. When we promise something as a child of God, we bring dishonor to the Lord's name when we don't deliver.

And, when we stand behind our promises, we should do it enthusiastically. The Lord blesses a cheerful giver, not a begrudgingly one. He desires that whatever we give, we give from the heart and not from duty. Also, we should never feel compelled to give what we don't have to give. The Lord does not expect us to give beyond our ability to give. Be assured, if the Lord asks us to give something, He will provide so that we can give, whether it's finances, time, talents, or something else.

Giving should not be done legalistically, but from the heart of love for the Lord. God does not need your money; He needs your heart to be right when you give.