Guiltless Giving

There is no shortage of causes to give to. Take our faith community for an example. Just in the last couple of months, there have been financial appeals for at least five different fundraising campaigns. Each cause has been advertised from the pulpit and deemed worthy of patronage. All of this is in addition to the general budget the organization needs to raise to meet operating costs.

Step outside of the church, and another wave of giving opportunities hits. Disease research campaigns. Red Cross appeals for earthquake ravaged Nepal. Environment and green funds. Political party donations. Local sports clubs. School fundraisers. Sponsor-a-child agencies. Then, on top of all that, are the financial needs of extended family and friends!

There are some days I feel overwhelmed and stretched in my giving. Other days I feel guilty that I'm not giving enough.

I am a huge advocate of generosity, especially as a resident of a "first world" country. I acknowledge that I am wealthy in comparison to a large proportion of the earth's population. And I do believe that since I've been blessed, I have a responsibility to bless others, even if it means I have to go without some of my wants (or have less savings). While I do not excel at generosity, I thank the Lord that He is challenging me in this area in spite of myself.

However, I do believe people need to be strategic in their giving. Guilt is not a healthy motivator for generosity. Rather, conviction from the Holy Spirit and God-given passions should guide us towards which causes to support. This is crucial for me to remember, as sometimes I am tempted to judge others, especially when they don't seem to be generous when it comes to overseas Missions. In such moments, I need to remind myself that I must not "passion project" or expect others to appropriate the same passions as me. People have different callings on their lives. They need to be obedient to their unique calling so God can nurture the entire world through them.

That being said, I do believe there are some giving principles out there that are beneficial for Christians to adhere to. Kids (and readers), this is my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. 

Give to the Poor. Jesus spent a lot of time with the poor and encouraged people to give to their needs. The Old Testament scriptures are full of admonitions to provide for the poor. I believe Christians need to assist the poor in some capacity, whether that means to be a supporter of the local food bank, donating to (or shopping at) second hand stores who collect for the poor or sponsoring a needy child overseas.

Give to the Great Commission. Christ commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Christ commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20). I believe there is a financial cost to the Great Commission, which Christians should contribute to. This doesn't necessary mean that we all need to fund a missionary or go to another country short term or long term. However, we should arrange our lives in such way that going, making, baptizing and teaching are priorities, wherever we are placed. This can influence who we invite over for dinner or what activities we enroll you kids in. This can also inform our decisions as to how we spend our holidays or what local church to support.

Give to your areas of Passion. Many of us have God-given passions. I believe this is God's way of taking care of the entire world. Give of your time and resources to these areas of passion. You may one day be an advocate for the environment or a voice for justice or a supporter of the arts. Be generous in these areas as God directs you. But don't expect everyone to feel the same way as you do.

In the end, I encourage you to be guiltless in your giving. May your generosity be an inspiration of the Holy Spirit, an act of thankfulness to our God who gave us immeasurably more than we can think or ask.

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