THE ART OF GIVING
Giving is an art that must be learned. Many a time, people say “I am a cheerful and prompt-to-do-it giver” without really understanding what they are saying. Being cheerful about something means you are super excited about that thing because you trust and believe in it. If I went to a boutique to get some heels, I would ask for a brand I am comfortable with because I believe that brand is of good quality. Once I get a Steve Madden heel, I become excited and pay for them no matter how high the price may be. Compare this scenario to giving in the house of God.
When you fully understand the art of giving, you will be happy about it. The purpose of this article is to help you understand the types of offerings and how some people gave to get to the top in the world economy.
Types of Offering
A good read of the Bible, with giving in mind will bring you to several forms of giving; giving to God, His servants, our parents, and the poor. In giving to God, that is, advancing and sponsoring His kingdom as well as pushing the gospel forward, there are two main things to consider. They are offerings and tithes. As a believer, you give to God through your offerings and tithes. With respect to offerings to God, there’s the free-will offering and the offering demanded by God.
Free-will Offerings
In this type of offering, we choose what to give. God, loving and kind, has given us the will to give what we want to give to Him as our appreciation of what He has done for us. It is a form of acknowledgment of who He is. The word of God instructs us to appear before God with an offering according to how the Lord has blessed us, not empty-handed. No one appears before a king empty-handed. They visit the palace with gifts pleasing to the king. This type of offering is free. Although it is obligatory for you to give an offering as a believer, the content of your offering is determined by you. See Deuteronomy 16:16-17 KJV
So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. 1 Chronicle 29:2 ESV
Whenever a person is given authority or the free will to do something, they usually face the problem of not knowing how to exercise that free will. Because free will offerings depend on your will, you may have challenges in determining what to give as an offering. The first solution to this is to prepare your offering before going to church. Preparation may be in the form of having in mind, the exact amount you want to give, neatly packaging your offering and being consistent with that amount. God expects us to be happy givers. One of the ways to determine whether you are a happy giver is to check how prepared you are to give the offering you have.
Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Psalms 96:7 KJV.
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given the order to the churches of Galatia, even so, do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2 KJV
Offerings Demanded by God
With this type of offering, God instructs us as to what He wants. Here, He is very specific about the kind of offering you should give, what the object of your offering should be, and where to make the offering. The perfect example of this is in Exodus 35 and Genesis 22. Here, God was very specific about the place of offering and the items to be offered.
And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord commanded, saying, Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass, Exodus 35:4-5 KJV. See Genesis 22:2 ESV
As believers and witnesses of the gospel, it is our utmost duty to put God first in everything. God has principles and if you want to be successful on earth, you must apply those principles. God requires man to put His Kingdom first in all he does and all other things shall be added unto him. This means putting Him first in your work, your home, your ministry, your academics, and your business. Is it possible to put God before someone or something you hold dear? You must forgo all the excuses the devil brings your way and put God first. Putting God first has a ripple effect of pulling toward you, all the other things you need to be successful in life.
“So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly.” Matthew 6:33 TPT
Christian Billionaires in the 21st Century
There are several Christian billionaires across the globe. Each of them acknowledges that God is the source of their wealth. Let’s look at four Christian billionaires
The first person to talk about is David Green. David is the owner and founder of Hobby Lobby and he is deemed to be the largest evangelical benefactor in the world. According to Forbes, he had given more than $500 million to religious causes as of 2012. He also sponsors the popular Bible app, YouVersion, which is free to download. In an interview with Forbes, he said “So I have learned to say, ‘Look, this is yours, God. It’s all yours. I’m going to give it to you.’
The next is Jin Sookie, one of the co-founders of Forever 21. The other founder is her husband, Do Won Chang. Sook grew up in a Christian home. During an interview with ” The Guardian”, she revealed that when she came to the United States, she went to the top of a mountain to pray and God told her to open a fashion retail store. Since then, Forever21 printed the verse John 3:16 on their bags, hoping to spread God’s word and make a statement.
Another personality to look at is Mary Kay Ash, the founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics and one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in the U.S. The motto of her company is “God first, family second, career third.” Her business grew and she now provides women with unlimited opportunities for personal and financial success, according to Crosswalk. She also includes Bible verses in the company’s monthly magazine.
The last personality to look at is John Davison Rockefeller Sr. who was an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is widely considered the wealthiest American of all time and the richest person in modern history. He was a devout Baptist and supported many church-based institutions. Faith was a guiding force throughout his life and he believed it to be the source of his success. Rockefeller understood the principle of giving to God and helping God’s Kingdom.
Conclusion
We, as believers, must come to a full understanding that giving is imperical to our spiritual growth, prosperity, and success. God delights in our heart-felt offerings to Him. I challenge you to take up the habit of giving for the cause of Christ and to the needy around you.
