The Guide to Giving Part 1
Managing your money God’s way means knowing how to wisely save, spend, and give the money that God gave us; that is the Catholic money perspective. Despite how important it is to be a steward many people do not understand the concept. It is vital to begin with the knowledge that God is the owner of everything, and everything we call our own is, in fact, a gift from God.
Our first act as a steward is to return to God the gifts he has given to us. Generosity has many forms and it can be daunting to figure out how much to give and to do so with an attitude of love and thanksgiving.
Below we explore two aspects of giving: attitude and advantages.
Attitude
John 3:16 says that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” The sequence of these words is important because it starts with love. God loved then he gave. Giving should not be an obligation but rather a love offering from our hearts. Our giving is an extension of God’s love for us, and we should remember this every time we give. Second Corinthians 9:7 tells us that “each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
It can be sad to see the way people act every Sunday during the collection at Mass. They scramble to get some change or act surprised as if this was the first time they have seen a collection basket being passed. If you have always looked at the act of giving as an obligation, make the effort to change your attitude and remember to give cheerfully to others. We are only returning to God what he has already given to us.
Advantages of Giving
The act of giving does so much more for the giver than it does for the recipients. Acts 20:35 tells us that we should “keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus Himself said, ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive.’” When we give others the gifts that God gave us, we are sharing God’s love with the world and strengthening our connection with him. Giving is God’s way of raising people into the likeness of his son. It’s not about the money: it’s about the change in your heart.
Giving on earth will reap riches and treasures in heaven, something that will last us an eternity. Second Corinthians 9:6 says that “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” Everything that we give flows back to us in ways infinitely greater than we could possibly imagine.
Giving with a heart of love increases our intimacy with Christ—what could possibly be more important than that? Giving to the church continues Christ’s ministry in our communities, supports outreach ministries and spreads the word of God. Isn’t that what we are supposed to do? It may take time to become a cheerful giver and give with a heart full of love and not out of a sense of obligation, but the journey is well worth the effort.
Next week, we’ll continue with the final two elements of giving. Until then, God bless you all and have a wonderful week.
With love,
The Beans
