WHY DO YOU GIVE?

Ayoung boy watched as all the big people put money into the offering plate. He didn't have any money to give, but he did have five marbles in his pocket. He put them into the plate. People smiled as they saw the strange offering rolling around. After the worship service, one of the deacons asked the child if he wanted his marbles back. "Oh no sir, I gave them to Jesus," was his earnest reply.

As the amusing story spread through the congregation, some chuckled at a child's naivete`. But one man understood. "I'll give a hundred dollars for that boy's marbles," was his response. This young child had one reason for giving up his precious marbles: He gave them to Jesus! He didn't give them to the church or to the deacons. He didn't drop them in the offering plate so people would fuss over him. He simply wanted to give something he had to Jesus. His motive in giving was pure. He loved the Lord.

Why do we give what we give? Whenever we act, there is some reason for the action. That something which determines our actions, causes us to act, can be defined as "motive."

People give for different reasons. Some give because their parents gave. Some give in order to get. Some give in order to be noticed. Others give hoping to gain brownie points with God. Still others give to atone for sin. The reasons are many.

God cares about our gifts, but He cares more about our motive for giving. Proverbs 16:2 states, All the ways of a man are clean in His own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives. In proverbs 21:2 we read, Every man's way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. The Lord looks past the gift to the giver and asks "Why"? He peers into our hearts and weighs our motivation behind our giving. Paul supported this fact in 1 Corinthians 4:5 when he wrote, Do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts, and then each man's praise will come to him from God.

Your chief reason for giving should be the same as God's. John 3:16 reveals God's reason for sending Jesus to earth. God so loved the world that He gave His only bergotten son.... Simply stated, God gave because He loved!

Why do you bring your tithes and offerings to church? What moves you to act? Are you like the young boy who gave his marbles to Jesus simply because he loved him?

We partner with God for financial success when our gifts to Him are motivated by love.

Read Pastor's Consecration Letter for 2010 @ Around First Baptist...