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 give. Every financial decision that I make reflects my balance and prioritization among these areas.
These 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. Asa result of the competition, the giving "bucker 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 that 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.
Ron Blue
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Ron Blue is a guest author here on our blog. Ron Blue is the founder of Kingdom Advisors, a ministry that empowers Christian financial advisors who seek to integrate a biblical worldview into their advice and counsel. In 1979, he founded Ronald Blue & Company (now Ronald Blue Trust), the largest Christian financial planning firm in the country. He has authored over twenty books, including Master Your Money, The Complete Guide to Faith Based Family Finances, and Surviving Financial Meltdown. Ron holds a BS and an MBA from Indiana University. Ron is married to Judy and they have five grown children and thirteen grandchildren. They reside in Bloomington, Indiana.
