The Giving Grid, Part 2: Calling Giving
Today, we are again talking about giving. In Part 1, we addressed ‘duty giving’ and encouraged you to explore your motives for giving. Today’s post dive into find God’s calling for you as it relates to giving.
Once we get over the ‘why’ and ‘how much’ questions about giving, we come to the ‘who’ and ‘what.’ Who will we give to? What ministries will we support? This is really tough without listening prayer and a ton of courage. There will always be more requests for support and donations than we have money or bandwidth to engage with.
Here are some of the mistakes I’ve made over the years . . .
- Giving just because someone asks you to – Parachurch people raise their support through relationships. Church building campaigns always come down to a ‘personal ask.’ It’s hard to tell someone you know “no” . . . it’s easier just to say, “Ok, how about $25 per month?” or to stroke a check than to make them feel rejected. At one time, we were giving to support 9 people with little prayer and no real ‘calling’ to what they were doing.
- Giving to relieve guilt – Even Americans who aren’t wealthy have so much more than most of the people in the world. We see the images of helpless children in developing countries and feel we have to do something. We’ve supported as many as 10 Compassion kids at a time. Again . . . little prayer involved. Simply reacting to the feeling of guilt in our gut for being so blessed.
- Giving from excess – We are always less careful with what we have in excess. I’m a champion and total supporter of the National Christian Foundation and will always be. But I’ve found one downside to NCF. And it’s not their fault at all . . . it’s a ‘heart problem’ on my end. Once I put funds in my NCF account (and get the tax deduction), that money is gone from my personal account. It’s been slid over to the ‘God side’ of the ledger and I feel ‘rich’ from a Kingdom perspective. I have excess . . . ‘dry powder’ to work with. A good thing? I’m not sure. I find I’m quicker to donate from my NCF account but less thoughtful and less prayerful. The money I’ve kept in my personal account gets ‘stickier’ . . . I feel like I have options. It’s still ‘mine.’
- Letting tax deductibility speak louder than God – I’ve walked right by God’s calling to help someone because I couldn’t figure out how to get a tax deduction for my help. This is just wrong. Good stewardship says to get as many deductions as possible and pay only the taxes you owe. But stewardship in the Kingdom of God is about helping our “brother in need.” It doesn’t distinguish between tax advantaged and non-tax advantaged giving. Someday (I think sooner than later), there won’t be tax deductions for charitable giving. That will be a day of purification of motives won’t it?
- Sacrificial giving only – A friend of mine decided that if his giving didn’t involve sacrifice, it wasn’t real giving. Another friend says giving from your will (after you’re dead) isn’t really giving because it costs you nothing while you’re still here. While I get the connection to Godly motives in our giving, I believe God’s calling for us to give may or may not involve sacrifice. He’s working in each of our hearts in His own way. For some . . . at certain times, He calls us to sacrifice. For others, it’s simply to listen, obey and give, whether from abundance or scarcity.
As givers, the only peace-giving answer is to find what God is calling you to. Giving is an act of worship. Don’t make quick decisions. Take the time to pray . . . to ask God to guide you. Where is God moving? Where is He inviting you to join Him? What does your heart break for? Unsponsored Compassion kids? High schoolers engaging with Young Life? The homeless? The hungry?
Only by asking God, listening to His voice and obeying His leading can you give with peace and conviction.
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Responses (11)
May God continue to bless you Regi. You are a blessing to me.
Thank you. I pray 2016 will be a year where we both draw closer to Him.
Giving out of obedience, love, guilt, thankfulness, or any other reason will reveal that you cannot out give GOD!
Couldn’t agree more.
I think your giving grid should be laid out differently. On the left should be duty, on top should be humility, on the bottom should be pride, and on the right should be calling. That way the opposites are opposite and in the spirit of a quadrant diagram the upper right quadrant is humility and calling, which is where we should strive for.
Makes sense. Make it your own and share it as you see fit. Thanks for the comment.
I really enjoyed these posts on giving. As much as we talk about giving it continues to not only be a struggle but filled with confusion. Thanks for addressing it and lending structure and clarity.
Happy New Year!
love, charlie
As you know, I’m still figuring it out myself. Love you man. Happy New Year
Thanks for your two-parter on giving. I think I did a mental check mark next to each point you made – except possibly the 9 kids in Compassion International. I recently retired and remember going through a challenging time over “reducing” what we gave – in recognition of a lower income. We now find special joy in occasionally doing things directly (no tax deductibility issues) incognito – the idea of “being a blessing”. Thanks again for your comments.
Recently became a member of radical mentoring. Went through the program last year and am preparing to start leading a group in the next month. “About my Father’s Business” was a life changing experience for me. Thank you!
Thanks for the great article. (Giving Part 2.) The mistakes you list are ones that I have dealt with many times. God has guided me and kept me from making them very often. My wife and I love to consider each ask we get and know that there are many more “asks” than God wants us to answer.
I retired from Microsoft in 1999 at age 35 and have been volunteering in ministry ever since. In ministry you tell what God has done for you and my story of early retirement frequently invokes “the ask” from people.
I especially like your advice that giving be a calling directly from God. Each opportunity to give is an opportunity to lay the request at His feet and listen for his direction. God didn’t put us on earth to do “his stuff” or to fulfill his plan. He can do “his stuff” without us. We are “his stuff” and his plan. His plan is our redemption and the stuff draws us closer to him.
Thank you!
couldn’t have said it better, in fact, you should write a blog for us, sharing your story. Send it to us at radicalmentoring.com and we’ll post it. Give us a little bio and let’s share what God has done in one new mentor’s life. And please consider coming to Summit 2016 in April. We’d love to meet you in person. Glory to God for stories like yours!