Giving Tuesday: An Opportunity to Experience the Blessing of Giving
Today is Giving Tuesday, a movement that began in 2012 to encourage generosity. According to givingtuesday.com, "GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to come together through generosity in all its forms by sharing acts of kindness and giving their voice, time, money, goods, and advocacy to support communities and causes."
I love any initiative that encourages generosity, no matter what the giving is towards, because generosity brings out the best in people. In Acts 20:35, the apostle Paul quotes Jesus, saying, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." We don't know when Jesus said this. Not everything Jesus said was recorded. What we do know is that Paul didn't just say this; he lived it as an example to everyone he encountered.
"Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak." And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:34-25 NKJV)
Did you catch it? Paul didn't just support himself; he helped those who were with him. According to Scripture, Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1-3), and he continued to work while traveling and sharing the gospel. We know he occasionally received gifts, specifically from the church in Philippi, but it wasn't a significant part of his support. Paul continued to work in order to not be a burden and to not be accused of sharing the gospel at a cost. More importantly, Paul worked in order to model for others what it meant to be a follower of Christ and to support the weak."
Most of us in the United States have much to be thankful for. But there are still many that are struggling and need our help here and throughout the world. Giving Tuesday is an opportunity for all of us to support the causes we care about. What is that for you? What do you see in the world that's not right that you'd like to see fixed or come to an end? There are so many things to choose from, and each one of us can support at least one of these important causes.
The season from Thanksgiving to Christmas is one that we Christians celebrate because it is a real reminder of the gift we've been given; a Savior who was born, lived, died, and raised to life, that we may have eternal life through Him. We've been given the best gift anyone can receive. In that spirit, let's emulate the example Paul has given us. Let the work of our hands, through the giving of our time, money, and goods, support those in need and experience the true blessing that comes from giving.
We would love to see you support the things that God has put on your heart. If one of those things is financial discipleship and would like to see more churches teaching and equipping people with the message of stewardship and generosity, consider supporting our work. CSN exists to teach and equip church leaders to engage in this vital work and see every church teaching God's principles of managing money and wealth. If you'd like to support our ministry, you can do that here. Thank you for your consideration to partner with us in this work.
For Further Reading:
Financial Success in the Kingdom of God
Seeking and Receiving Wise Counsel
Why the Church is the Best Place for Financial Education
Maintaining the Right Balance in our Saving
Making the Most of Every Opportunity
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