Letting go of hard-earned money is difficult.
I tend to keep a tight fist around my money, so I know this feeling from experience.
However, the more I have learned about God’s perspective of money, the easier it becomes to let go of some of that money.
Giving money is an awkward topic to talk about. I find there tends to be a range of feelings from joy to shame to judgment
Maybe you feel like you don’t make enough money to give, or you’re in too much debt, or you don’t know where to give money.
All of these factors can make a stressful financial situation even more stressful.
It might seem weird to talk about giving money in a space where we talk about saving money.
However, this is an important topic to consider, no matter what season you’re in with your finances.
Why Give Money?
Giving money is an extremely beneficial activity. It forces you to be more careful with your finances as well as see the impacts of your actions.
It is fun considering the significance a small number of American dollars can make in ministries across the world.
But it’s so easy to get disconnected from these places. After all, we don’t go to India, Africa, or South America regularly if at all. Updates from the field can feel few and far between or canned.
Even local organizations start to lose their appeal after we have had some space from our original feeling of inspiration of support.
Where Should I Give?
How many organizations have turned out to be frauds?
Do you know that your hard-earned dollars are being put to use as an organization promises?
First - we are called to give to our local church.
In 1 Corinthians 16:2, Paul explains to the Corinthians – “On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. “
This passage is an illustration of a church collecting money for a cause. The believers in the Corinthian church collected money to give to the church in Jerusalem, many of whom were facing poverty and famine.
Churches today often still do this. Other than salaries and operating costs, many churches have a mission fund to support believers in need.
If you are just starting out on your debt-free journey, or have never given to charity before, consider starting with donating $1 a month to your local church.
Second- We are called to support others in need
Mathew 6 outlines the attitude we should have when giving to the poor:
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Not only does he address the need to give, but also our attitude about giving.
There is a lot more to be said on this topic, but I hope to dive into that in future posts.
Resources To find out about charities
Two helpful websites to check out to help you figure out a charity to give to are Charity Navigator and ECFA
Charity Navigator rates non-profits based on certain criteria (this includes Christian and non-Christian organizations). ECFA looks at only Christian organizations.
My Own Experience with Charitable Giving
To be honest, I used to barely give any money. Even when I legitimately had plenty to give. I didn’t see the point. It felt like too much of a strain on my finances. To me, it felt financially irresponsible by giving to a point that could potentially, someday, maybe put a slight strain on my finances.
Sure, I gave (a little) to my church, but that was about it.
It wasn’t until I got married that my now husband shared his burden for what I felt was a big plan for charitable giving.
I thought it would essentially lead us to financial ruin. So far, it hasn’t.
I have seen the impact in my own life and in my commitment to the organizations we support over the long haul.
God has provided for us time after time, even when I felt money was tight due to our predetermined commitment to give.
We have always gotten a financial gift or a pay raise at exactly the right time. Even during times of one of us going without a job, we were able to maintain some level of giving.
I love this passage from Matthew 6 about where to store our treasure. This was a big inspiration behind Trustworthy Treasure!
Matthew 6:19-21
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Giving isn’t meant to inflate our egos (which is something I have struggled with) but it changes our hearts as we see Him changing the world with our dollars.
What’s the point if there is always another need?
One way my husband described it to me is that we get to “buy salvations” by supporting a mission organization that reaches the lost.
That is pretty amazing.
Can you imagine what it will be like in heaven, meeting souls who came to know the Lord as a direct result of dollars you donated somewhere in your life?
Trusting God to do His Part
Philippians 4:19 – And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
God will look out for you, even if it is not in the ways you want or expect. Sometimes, it may feel like he isn’t looking out for you at all. I’ve definitely felt this way. How God works isn’t always clear until further down the line.
Choosing to trust God with your finances in general can be a really sweet experience in growing closer with Him.
Financial Giving Changes You
Giving money changes the heart. It changes your perspective on what resources you have, as well as caring more about what your money is going toward.
When you have a vested interest in something, you tend to care more about it.
Give it to the point that you feel it. Whether it’s $1.00 or $100.
When you’re giving away some of your money, you also have an added layer of responsibility for your finances. Your money is a little tighter, so you have to be careful where each dollar is going.
Enjoy Giving Money
Enjoy how your dollars are being spent. Pray for the people in connection with your church or organization that you support.
When giving becomes a disciplined area of your life, you can reflect on how the Lord is using your money to reach the lost AND how He is using it to change your heart!
How Do I Start Giving?
- Decide – Prayerfully consider the dollar amount per year, or the percentage of your before or after-tax paycheck.
- Prayerfully consider the amount– What do you think God is calling on to you commit to?
- Give to your local church first – I think the “tithe” of 10% of your income toward your church is a good goal. However, this may vary depending on your financial season. In some seasons you may only be able to give 2% while in others you may be able to give 30%
- Decide other organizations to invest in – Prayerfully consider where you want to invest your dollars
- Act – Decide where you want to give and build it into your budget from the get-go
