Walking with the Wise #101: Giving to God

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;

another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”
—Proverbs 11:24

Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”—Acts 20:35. God blesses us so that we might be a blessing to others. Jesus illustrated this principle in the Parable of the Talents. He said,

"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth'”—Matthew 25:14-30.

God entrusts us with many different gifts that He expects us to use for His glory. It’s about stewardship—the better stewards we are of what God has entrusted to us, the more that He blesses us. We give to God because He first gave to us. And giving to others is one way of giving to God. God desires that we love Him, and one way that we show our love for Him is by loving others. So giving to others is one way of showing our love for God.

Whenever we give to God, He blesses us. But if we fail to give to God, we will notice that we are suffering want. As it has been said, “I cannot afford to give to God.” The common response to that is, “You can’t afford not to.”

Are you giving to God? Are you withholding good from others when it is within your ability to give? Give to God. Honor Him and then show that honor by giving to others. Give to God and He will give to you for the glory and honor of His holy and precious name. Amen.