When Should We Give?

When should we give? Is giving more important than taking care of our own debts?

That was the topic of Jeff Klein's Walk the Way video blog a few weeks back, and while it didn't specifically address the current economic situation, it definitely got me thinking. Right now, my wife and I are living comfortably. Sure, we have college loans and a mortgage payment, but we don't have any kids or other large expenses. In our current situation, we give quite cheerfully.

But what if one of us got sick and we were stuck with a huge hospital bill to pay? What if one of us lost our job? Would we still be able to give cheerfully?

With stock prices jumping all over the place (but mostly falling), retirement savings being lost, a frightening job market, foreclosures and bankruptcy on the rise and dozens of banks failing, we're living through one of the  most volatile economies that we've seen in decades.  Are we still expected to give cheerfully and generously?

How do you decide when and how much you give? How do you prioritize paying your debt and your giving? Has the economy affected your generosity?

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Comments (13)

Paul's advice comes in handy when he says that "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver". Key words here being, what we decide in our hearts to give, not reluctantly and never under compulsion. Also, the Bible says that we are slaves to them who we owe money to. If we have debt, we are slaves to that debt. First order of business is to pay off your debt and be free from that slavery and then use your resources to give freely to God's purpose and kingdom. We are to be good stewards of that which God has put in our hands. I wonder if we are disappointing him.
i would say that giving shouldn't be acts of charity but sharing time and resources with people. its so easy to distance ourselves from the people we hope to help by giving through charitable organizations when there are hungry people, people with medical bills, people with no shoes or coats right down the street from us. i believe in building a charitable community where things are shared and 'those people' become friends and friends become brothers and sisters and when any one of them has need they are taken care of. i think part of the joy of giving sharing the experience with the person which is left out when we cut a check to united way. but i believe if we share the moments of sharing and develop a community of givers and lovers and sharers we will be taken care of even in our hard times. at least thats my hope.
I think you're on to something. Nobody wants to feel like someone's "project." Making friends, becoming involved with others' lives, giving and helping as a matter of course allows us to share the gospel while we are meeting physical and emotional needs in the lives of others.

I tend to think the best use of my resources is to give my tithe to my church but invest my time loving on people in my community, sometimes as part of a church effort and sometimes as an individual contributor.
I personally think that this issue has a lot to do with whether or not you really trust that God is sovereign and the creator and sustainer of all things. Whatever our financial situation has been, my husband and I have chosen to always tithe at least 10% of our money - not because this is a magic number or some kind of law requirement, but just because we find it to be a good guideline. This is in addition to the occasional extra donation to good causes, as well as all the time that we put into serving our church and community. Sometimes it has been hard to write that check, but God has also never failed to meet our needs (our NEEDS, not our wants), sometimes even by unexpected blessings - literally, we have received anonymous checks in the mail!!!

I am not talking about the health and wealth "gospel" that says that if I give to you, God, then you owe me material blessing. For whatever reason, sometimes God does allow his people to fall into poverty and want. There may come a time when you literally have NOTHING to give to God but your prayers and your very self. At times like that, I think God has placed us in a position of humility, where we need to be receiving primarily, rather than giving. People often need to be taught how to receive!

But when that is not the case, I do still think that some portion of whatever you receive should be given back to God in honor of that fact that none of it is ours anyway, and that HE is the one who provides everything for us. All that being said, I recognize that it is a very personal matter and that people should listen to what the Holy Spirit is leading them to do.
I agree with you. I think tithing is a way God tells us to test him. Even now, my wife and I are trying to make sure we give our top 10%. We equally focus on paying off debt which leads to sacrifices in other parts of our lives. It would be temping to take some of that tithe to pay off debt, but we put our faith in God and He has always provided.

I like the way my pastor prays before we give our offering. He asks that God return our gifts in tangible and intangible ways. It's good perspective to know that God can use our tithes in ways we may never see.
Try this text. 1 Tim 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Also, do not be confused when preachesrs tell you to tithe your firstfruits. In the Bible firstfruits were never the same as tithes. Tithes were never commadned to the Church after Calvary.
I like what you have said Russell. As a Minister of the Gospel i believe
If most preachers would stop and really ask the Holy Spirit to give them
a revelation on this topic, they wouldn't be so quick to compel, or make
people do something in which Jesus died for. They put people back under
bondage to do something God really didn't ask us as New Testament
believers to do. I'm not saying i don't believe God's principle on tithing, I
just believe if we spent time teaching people to Give not only money,
but of themselves they will give from the heart and not because that's
what we should do to be blessed. Oh, by the way. If we were discipled
correctly we are suppose to give 23% instead of 10%. God commanded
Israel to give 3 Tithes. (1) The people were to give a Tithe to supple
the needs of the Levites. Lev. 27:30-33 (2) The second Tithe was to
support the nation's devotion to the temple being used for national
festivals. Deut. 12:6,7 (3) The people were to give a Tithe every 3
years to support the poor.
Yes allways give our Tithe First God will allways work someway to Pay Your bills God says test Me try Me and see if I will not Open the Gates of Heaven and pour You a Blessing You can't handle God Loves a cheeriful Giver Watch Out for charitable org. The United Way cut giving to The Boy Scouts of America because of Gays putting pressure on Public org's They want to be Scout Leader's and Such That's a SIN againist God As Christians We GOT to Rise Up AND Fight for Some Thinks !!!!!! Also Chairity Begins at Home remember Jesus Gave Us A New Commandment Love Thy Neighbor look around Our Community DO You See Someone maybe a Child without a warm coat or no toys to play with Or an Elderily Person that Could Use a little Help with something or just a Kind Word maybe a visit from one just to talk pass and little time Before You Give Look around Bet You'll find someone who You Can help or just make a New Friend Who Knows
Yes,indeed.We need to give our tithes and offerings.It's part of our worship to God.It's tried and tested already.I'm 40.I've been taught by my Mom to do it when I was a little child.Now I'm grown up,lost jobs a couple of times.I always tithe ang give offerings no matter what.It gives a real joy in me everytime I write a check and place it in the offering plate.Which is why I always want to do it.I've never been forsaken by God.I always have extra funds in my bank account.I've never been broke.Never.I'm a Malachi 3:10 fan...And i thank and praise God for that.
Well I just want to post my expirence on this matter a couple a years ago I got sick in a coma lost almost everything including saving, Business and so. After this I am still jumping jobs with a this bad economy
(getting laidoff or could not find a permanaet job). We still give between 5% to 20% depending on the week and how much I have made. But to cut it short we have always paid are bills have a place what we call home which is rented, have 2 cars and still strong. I think it is more of a mater of faith than anything else and a personal choice. Will I give just one dollar that mounts to my 10%? My answer is yes, what about yours.
I went to a Christian seminar at Kingdom Bound this week. The speaker said that we should take the tith 10% from our paychecks first before we pay our bills. After all what I earn comes from God and he is due his part.
Now how do we get others in our church to tith??
my family gives to the church while I am in the street is it family first ?
I was living in fear and not tithing, but giving out of my left over (we do have economy internet - its a necessity for home/private schooling). But no cable, credit cards, etc. Just the basics car insurance, electric, phone, mortgage. I lost my job & am facing foreclosure. I made the decision to give it all over to God & I am tithing on everything now & trusting God to provide the rest. His word does say "test me in this". I will keep you posted on God's blessing, as I am trusting that He will bless me & my children. -- Jackie W.

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