Why Don’t We Give More?
Why don’t we give more? Here are four reasons I have found to be true in my own life:
- Scared. We don’t give more because we fear not having enough. You might say, “Pastor Bob, I have a mortgage, I’m trying to save for my kids’ college, and I’m trying to put food on the table. How can I give more?” Personally, I know that when my bank account is lower than I desire, it makes my heart race a bit.
- Skeptical. We don’t give more because we are skeptical about what the recipient will do. We live in an era where trust in institutions has eroded. It often feels like everyone is taking advantage of us and misusing financial gifts. Skepticism is a natural response.
- Short-Sighted. We don’t give more because we can’t see the eternal impact. As Americans, we tend to focus on immediate returns. We want to know that our money is making a difference right now. However, some investments—like mission work—may not yield visible results for years.
- Selfish. Finally, we don’t give more because, at some level, we are selfish. We could give more, but we want to keep it for ourselves and our pursuits. Do any of these reasons resonate with you?
It’s the act of giving that makes us pause because we think we need more for ourselves. I would challenge us by highlighting the difference between what we NEED and what we WANT. While indulging our wants from time to time is not wrong, that gap between our NEEDS and our WANTS presents an opportunity to give if the Lord is leading us. Let’s call it the GIVING OPPORTUNITY GAP. What is your gap … and where is God calling you to GIVE MORE for His kingdom?
A Model For Generosity
Paul begins this section by offering a model of generosity. 2 Corinthians 8-9 is the longest treatment of giving in the entire New Testament and, in many ways, serves as its model. The Old Testament approach to giving was centered around the tithe within the nation of Israel. However, the tithes and offerings of the Old Testament were intertwined with the civil life of the Israelites. The church, on the other hand, is not bound to the state—this is a different era. How should that affect our giving? In many ways, we should be more generous because of the grace we have received from God. Paul begins his challenge in 8:1:
Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 8:1, NLT)
Paul gets right to the point in this opening verse: “I want you to know something.” Or, if he were from New Jersey, “Let me tell you something …” This phrase often introduces new information. Specifically, he wants to tell the Corinthians how God worked through the Macedonian churches, which Paul planted during his second missionary journey, as recorded in Acts. The principle I want you to see is this: God works through the Church. He accomplishes His purpose through the people of God. He was generous to us, so we should be generous to others.
This should encourage us at MBC. God wants to work through us. What can God do through the generosity of MBC? I’ll offer one example: Last week, a few of us visited the new headquarters of City Relief. They have a wonderful new site in Clifton where they can launch outreach efforts to the poor in the NYC area, particularly in Newark, NJ, which has been underserved. They previously had an outreach site there, but it was closed down. City Relief aims to re-launch that site to reach the poor in Newark, and we, the church, are helping to fund that effort. Look at what God, in His kindness, can do through the churches.
Paul continues,
They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. (2 Corinthians 8:2, NLT)
This verse captures the essence of resilient giving. They gave even though they were “tested.” The ESV describes their situation as a “severe test of affliction.” Despite their struggles, they still chose to give. That is resilient giving. The Greek noun “dokime” refers to a testing that “proves someone’s genuineness.” Their willingness to give despite their problems demonstrated their authenticity. It was resilient. The phrase “very poor” indicates that they were in “rock bottom poverty.”
Moreover, when they gave despite their affliction, they were filled with “abundant joy” and overflowed in “rich generosity.” Wow. What does it mean to be richly generous? Picture this: imagine reaching the end of the month and not knowing how you will pay your bills. Money is tight. Yet, you choose to give what little you have to help others. That is what Paul is illustrating here. Would you feel happy about this? If your household is anything like mine, when finances are tight, joy is not the word I would use! And yet, Paul says they gave joyfully and generously. They trusted God! That is a model of resilience!
Our Motivation for Generosity
This is where it gets real. Some of us don’t give because our hearts are not in it. What is your motivation for generosity? Here are a few reasons why God calls us to give:
- First, God wants to build our FAITH. Some of us struggle with faith regarding our finances. We may have faith in many other areas of life, but when it comes to money, we falter. God wants us to give, even when it’s hard, because He wants us to trust Him to provide for our needs. What does Paul say in 2 Cor. 5:7? “We walk by faith and not by sight.”
- Second, God wants to teach us DEPENDENCE. As we exercise faith in our giving, we learn that we must depend on God. Like a good father, God desires our dependence on Him. What does Jesus say in Matthew 7:11? God is a “good father who gives gifts to those who ask Him.” He wants us to rely on Him for our resources.
- Finally, God calls us to OBEDIENCE. The Bible discusses money and giving because God wants us to establish a pattern of generosity in our lives. He desires us to be generous because He is generous. He aims to use the resources He has given us to build His kingdom. Where is God calling you to give?
In 2 Cor. 8:8, Paul outlines the primary motivation for giving. Much of 2 Corinthians focuses on the tension between the temporal and the eternal. Which are you living for? Which do you treasure? Paul writes:
I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches. (2 Corinthians 8:8, NLT)
This is an intriguing motivational strategy that Paul employs. In the preceding verses, he clearly calls the Corinthians to generous giving. He has spent most of the letter defending his authority as an Apostle. Yet here, he seems to set aside that authority. He is not “commanding” them to give; instead, he is “testing” them. This raises an interesting question. Imagine you approach your child and say—(1) I want you to clean your room. It would be helpful to everyone in the house if you cleaned your room. (2) I am not commanding you to clean your room. (3) Instead … I am using this as a test. How would your child respond?
What is Paul doing here? He is giving the Corinthians an opportunity to demonstrate their genuine love for their fellow believers through the Jerusalem relief fund. He begins his appeal by presenting the Macedonians as an example, and now he turns to the ultimate example of generosity in verse 9:
You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9, NLT)
This is one of my favorite verses in the entire Bible. It serves as the primary motivation for the Christian life and Christian generosity. Let’s break down this verse.
(1) First, it appeals to the “generous grace” of Jesus Christ. This is a gift bestowed upon sinners who don’t deserve it. You and I do not deserve salvation. We are poor, wretched sinners who deserve condemnation. But God, rich in mercy, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place for our sins and satisfy the penalty. That’s amazing! What did Jesus have to do to offer this gift?
(2) Though He was “rich.” Jesus Christ possessed all the riches in the heavenly realms, seated at the right hand of the Father. He did not have to come to earth. He did not have to leave His riches. But He did … He became poor.
Why? Why did Jesus do this? So you could be rich. So you could be rich. Church, do you realize that Jesus Christ opened up the riches of heaven for you? No matter what your life is like right now, you have riches beyond compare! Amen!
The Measure of Our Generosity
And because Jesus did this for you, shouldn’t that change how you live … and give? Nothing we have is ours—it’s all His! Give … give … give generously … excel at giving … out of gratitude to God. Resilient givers are resilient because they know what they have received. In fact, their hearts say, “How can I NOT give because of what I have been given?” The Gospel is our motivation for giving. What does this look like? Paul finishes by offering a charge:
Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. (2 Corinthians 8:10-12, NLT)
He’s offering a test, but he is also giving some unsolicited advice: finish what you started. Apparently, some time had passed since they last contributed. Paul is reminding them that we still need your support! Be eager to give. Give in PROPORTION to what you have. That word, “PROPORTION,” is key when it comes to New Testament giving. Circle it, underline it, highlight it.
What is proportionate giving? This concept elevates the Old Testament principle of the tithe. In the Old Testament, the people of God were called to give a TITHE, or a tenth, of their income to support the Levites working in the tabernacle or temple. The Levites, in turn, gave a tenth of their income to support the priests. Interestingly, this command is not repeated in the New Testament. Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 9 that Christian workers deserve their wages, but that specific temple tithe language is absent. Instead, we see the concept of “PROPORTIONATE GIVING.” In other words, giving should be related to your earnings. If you make $10,000 a year, you would not be expected to give $100,000. Taken together with his previous point, Paul is calling the believers to give in proportion to their income while also encouraging them to give more generously than they think they are capable of. Excel in giving, motivated by the Gospel generosity of Jesus Christ. He concludes with a caution:
Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. (2 Corinthians 8:13-15, NLT)
So he clarifies—he is calling the Corinthians to give what they can. He is not asking them to go into debt for the sake of giving, nor is he urging them to bring hardship upon themselves. Instead, he challenges them to strive for sacrificial giving. Many times, we can sacrificially give more than we think we can.
Are you giving sacrificially? Allow me to offer a challenge: Easter is one month away. Over the next month, I challenge you to assess your giving opportunity gap. What lies in the gap between your needs and your wants? Assess it … and see how much money you can free up to give to the Kingdom. Consider giving to Feeding Hands, City Relief, or MBC. As you do this, ask yourself, Am I giving proportionately and sacrificially to God’s kingdom work?
God doesn’t need your money … but He wants to use your money.
A Harvest of Generosity
God will provide all you need … not necessarily all you want. One reason we don’t give is that we are concerned about our own needs. However, when we recognize that God is our provider … when we trust that He knows our needs … it frees us to have faith and grow in generosity. Look at verse 10:
In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (2 Corinthians 8:10b, NLT)
When you are generous, He will bless you by increasing your resources. Why? So that in you God will produce a harvest of generosity. A harvest of generosity. I love that phrase. That is a phrase to circle, underline, AND highlight. Does God want to harvest generosity from us today? Lord, we have a congregation of generous people—I pray you move on hearts to bring about the generosity you have called us to. Lord, tell them how much and where you want them to give. Holy Spirit … would you do Your work?
What if God has increased your resources … so you can bless others? This is the mind-blowing paradigm shift you need to embrace, church. God has blessed you … to bless others … with whatever He has given you! Some have a lot … others a little … but the call of 2 Corinthians 8-9 is this—God wants radically generous, resilient givers. And when that happens … we can change the world!
Church, here is the question you need to answer: What is the harvest of generosity God wants from me? I don’t know everyone’s financial situation, how much you make, or what opportunities lie ahead. But I do know this: God wants you to be MORE generous than you are today. He wants you to go deeper in generosity!
