The More I Give, the More I Get! Is That Really True?

“The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.” (Proverbs 11:25-26)

Have you ever asked yourself the question, “how much should I give to my church or synagogue?” This has always been a touchy subject, with many different views. Of course, the answer is always personal and depends on the person’s relation with God; as well as their involvement with the activities of their local church or religious organization. The responses and personal opinions of many successful business people are as varied as the individuals themselves.

However, the Bible has much to say about this subject. The reality of the matter is the same with all of our material possessions. God allows us to control, manage, and enjoy our earthly belongings for a finite period of time. After that, another person will get them and be given the opportunity to do the same. You see, every material or visible asset that we say… “I own ___”; will either be consumed, traded, given away, taken away, or left behind for someone else when we die. Consequently, since these assets are temporarily under our control, it is vitally important to consider to whom and to what cause we contribute them.

If God favors a business person to have a good education, a successful business, financial security, a comfortable home, and material wealth; then there is some accountability and some responsibilities that accompany those benefits.  If a person chooses to only accumulate material processions just for selfish and personal gain without investing in God’s Kingdom or supporting God’s agenda through generous and benevolent giving, they defeat God’s divine plan to show compassion upon the less fortunate and to support the mission of His church. God wants us to show mercy and kindness to others as a demonstration of our gratitude for that which He has entrusted to us. The more a person shows helpfulness and benevolence, the more God allows that person to accumulate and manage wealth.

There is another biblical principle that speaks to a person’s emotional attachment to possessions that causes them to either be generous or to cling to their material assets.  Jesus admonished his followers;

“Don’t store treasures for yourselves here on earth where moths and rust will destroy them and thieves can break in and steal them. But store your treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will be where your treasure is.” (Matthew 6:19-21)(NCV)

The true meaning here is not that you will give to the causes that you are most fond of. On the contrary, the true meaning here is that whatever you invest your money into is where your attention and your affections will end up. For example, have you noticed that after you purchased some property, or bought a certain stock, or invested in a store front your interest and affections changes. Now all of a sudden, you are more focused on what happens to that house, that company, or that building that you recently invested in.

Your time and your fondness are now in the same place your assets.  You are no longer just a casual observer. You are really concerned about what happens to that company in which you just purchased the stock. You are emotionally engaged. In the case where you purchased property, that building or land now deserves and demands your attention and care.

Think about this; if you give to a foreign mission group to help children in Africa with AIDS, or to a local church, or a charter school, or to the homeless, your thoughts, your interest, your compassion will become more in line with God’s plan. You see, God wants to demonstrate His love toward those less fortunate in the world. Now that you are engaged, your heart migrates to those things that are important to God!

You will find yourself more excited about being used to make a meaningful difference in the lives of other people. Mere material possessions, that are temporary at best, are no longer the most important thing in your life. Your generosity will be rewarded because you get back more than what you give out.

The beauty of a lifestyle that helps people God’s way, is the more you participate, the more passionate you become about those things that are important to God. Then you find God giving you more in order that you can participate more in what He’s doing. This offers you long term and lasting rewards.

Thoughts to Ponder

1. Is it difficult for you to admit that; “God owns all my money and all the assets that I possess… I own nothing”? 
2. Have you determined what church, ministry or religious organization you are going to support?  
3. Do you sense that God wants you to become more involved in what He is doing in the world? To what level of giving are you willing to commit?