ATTITUDE IN GIVING

Text: Luke 6: 30-38

I pleased to give ONE person Rs.100 /- who listens the sermon keenly and able to explain at the end of service. Giving is one of the commands of God which we find throughout the Bible, it proves that we as a Christian must give to God and people from the blessings which God has showered upon us. It is not an option, but must give. Giving is associated with the acts of benevolence/ charity/ donation/ offering, etc. The scripture in its entirety speaks of Giving to God and people as a token of acknowledgement to what God has given to us. God commands His people to show mercy in giving, Deut 15: 7-11 says, 

⁷ If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them.

⁸ Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need.

⁹ Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.

¹⁰ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

¹¹ There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Read also the following passages from the Bible Prov. 19:17; Prov. 21:13, Lk. 3:11 and 2 Cor. 9:6-9. Giving characterized in two ways in the Bible, Giving to people and Giving to God (Prov.19:13). The passage we are going to look tonight speaks of the first kind of giving, which is to the people. Luke 6 is another reference to the “Sermon on the Mount” which we see in Matthew 5-7. Sermon on the Mount is one of the key teachings of Jesus which portrays the highest standard of Christian morality. Several atheists and non Christians read them and being attracted towards the teaching of Jesus.  Following are the words of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of nation India.

“Although Hindu, Gandhi had a very close connection with Christianity and admired Jesus very much, often quoting from his favorite 'Sermon on the Mount' chapter in Mathew 5–7.When the missionary E. Stanley Jones met with Gandhi he asked him, "Mr. Gandhi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is that you appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower?" Gandhi replied, "Oh, I don't reject Christ. I love Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike Christ." “If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today,” he added. 

There are three kinds of people/ belief in the world.

Returning evil for Good (Sadist)

Returning evil for evil (Humanist)

Retuning Good for evil (Divine – Christian)

The teaching of Jesus is NOT making human beings to divine but making human beings to reflect the divine. Therefore Jesus speaks of the divine nature within the transformed people. Christians ought to reflect Christ by following His footsteps. As for today I want to press my concept on “What should be our attitude in giving (to God/Man)?” 

1. Give Generously (Luke 6:30)

I don’t know how much it is possible for someone born as a human. Jesus says in the above verses, “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back” Everyone includes relatives, friends, neighbor, enemies …etc. Several people in the world ready to give the rich or their relatives, not to the poor or strangers.

Deut 15:10 also give the same idea that “Give generously to them” we often keep standards in giving to the poor. For the beggar we try to search 50 Paisa or 1 Rupee. For the hotel servants we give Rs.5 or Rs.10. To God as a maximum of Rs.20, for ourselves as much as we wish. Why should we give generously? Because when you give generously, the Lord returns it generously. Verse 38 ends, “For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” when you measure with a stingy scale the Lord measures you the same. As I said you of Rs.100 for good listening, you are listening the message keenly, so also to get more blessing from the Lord; you must give more to anyone you give.  

2. Give the Best (Luke 6:31)

We often try to give the trash and things no longer needed to us as a donation to the church or people. Today many have the thinking of giving the waste and useless to God or poor, here is an example illustration, 

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, a little brother and sister were playing “Noah and the Ark.” An old shoe box was the ark; the bathtub was their flood. After the flood was over they decided to make an offering to God. Noah (the boy) said to Mrs. Noah (the girl), “Here, take one of your toy animals as a sacrifice.” “No,” she replied, “Let’s use one of your animals instead!” When they could not agree, she ran to the attic. In a moment she was back with a toy lamb. It was dirty, its head smashed, and its tail missing. “Here,” she cried, “let’s give this as a sacrifice. We will never want it again.” Her brother agreed, and they made their sacrifice. The little broken lamb they did not want was given to God.

Jesus gives logic here “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you” I am sure that none wanted to be treated badly by others, nor they accept broken currencies from the bus conductor. All expect people to respect them, to give them what they need, serve them in a best way. We expect the best from the good we see, on the other hand we offer the waste to others and God. Once I checked an offering box in the church, the currencies counted from the box would not have accepted in the shops due to its heavy damage. Most of the currencies came to this box just because they were rejected in the shops; the pastor sadly declared that he has to try several methods to move those currencies away from him. 

God is not a trash box so that you can throw away all your wastages, but to be honored in your giving. So also when you give something to someone do not give the wastage but give the best. Will you accept the things you donate to others, if you happen to receive it? Ask this question before giving something to someone. In Genesis 4:4; International Standard Version says, “While Abel brought the best parts of some of the firstborn from his flock. The LORD looked favorably upon Abel and his offering”. Abel brought the firstlings of his flock. We should learn to give the best to God and to people. 

3. Give without Expectation (Luke 6:34-35)

Several money lenders and bankers expect surety before lending money. They want to make sure of getting their money back with lots of interest. I know few people donate money to the church and want them to write their names in the property, “Donated by so and so...” or often they want their names in the plaque.

Jesus taught in this portion, “Give without the expectation to restore back” the mentioned verses say, “If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.  But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return”

Many of the believers put offering or give alms expecting to get from the Lord a 100 fold? It is a wrong motivation in giving.

“I know an old man in a church we ministered years ago. This man while offering time fans with a 100 rupees currency and shows it to the people that he gives a huge amount of offering. The same man comes with 5 rupees currency and hides it while dropping in the offering box.”

Jesus in explaining this compares a “humanist” even sinners lend in order to receive. What is the specialty of you as a Christian? When you give without expectation it is the nature of God, in other words it is the sacrifice. 

4. Give with Cheerful Heart (Luke 6:38)

Verse 38 claims, “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” We must give it cheerfully because we will restore it back one day. Giving cheerfully doesn’t make our heavenly investment in vain, the Lord promised it to give 100 fold blessing either here or in our eternity. All we sacrifice today are in the treasury of heaven, waiting for us to claim one day. If we give it without cheerful heart the Lord’s blessing is for sure.

Some people give with heavy heart, they cry while giving to someone. “Should I give this much of amount!” when you give cheerfully Proverbs 19:17 says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again”  

2 Cor. 9:7 we see that “the Lord is pleased of cheerful giver” when you give, give it cheerfully. The amount you give doesn’t matter to the Lord but your attitude matters a lot. He looks our inner heart while giving. Mark 12:41-44, the Lord did not see the amount the widow offered, but the cheerful heart. She wanted to give something best she had. When you give it will please God when you give it cheerfully. Giving from abundance is not the act of giving at all; giving from nothing with cheerful heart is the true giving in the sight of the Lord.

Conclusion:

As we see the attitude in giving tonight. How is our attitude in giving?

Are we giving to bring name to us? (or)

Are we giving our waste to others? (or)

Are we giving with lots of grief? (or)

Are we giving with the expectation to restore it back? 

If you give with these motivation keep your things with yourself, it is not needed to the Lord. If we try to give the way the Lord want from us (as we see from the scripture tonight), the Lord’s blessing will be sure in abiding with us and you will be the follower of Jesus Christ. Try to react the divine nature as you accept Jesus as your Lord. May God bless you.

(This sermon was preached by Mr. Asap Singh in “Lent days special evening service” at St. Thomas Chapel, Sharon Gardens, Salem-8 on 22^nd March 2013)