Giving from Your Treasure (Part 2)
“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21(NLT)
[Last month Part 1 helped us answer the question What Are We to Give? This is Part 2, which looks at Where Are We to Give?]
Where to Give
When deciding where to give, the Bible clearly reveals three causes that are important to God where our financial gifts can support His work in the world: The poor, those who don’t know Him, and those who teach His Word.
The local church is typically all about those three causes. It is usually active in helping to meet the needs of the poor in its community and elsewhere. It introduces visitors to God and often supports missionaries in other parts of the world who are spreading God’s Word. And, of course, it is a primary source of our biblical instruction.
Since the local church is, in essence, a one-stop shop for those three causes, at very least, a solid case can be made that it would be good stewardship to make our home church our first priority for the money we give, and then give to other organizations God puts on our heart.
If you’re new to the idea of giving truly choice gifts to God, at first it will feel like a lot. Eventually, though, it will feel like it’s not enough.
That’s been my experience. It was difficult at first. Honestly, I didn’t want to. I didn’t even see how it could be possible. But I have discovered the truth of Matthew 6:21: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” There is something about the practice of generosity that increasingly orients our hearts toward God.
As we grow in generosity, we discover that there is great joy in using money to make life changing, eternity shaping differences in the lives of other people.
Questions to Consider:
Where is my treasure (what do I hold as near and dear to me) and where can I look to give it?
Where is my heart (what is God laying on my heart as important to Him) and where can my heart lead my giving?
Where can I give my treasure so that my heart will be there also?
Might there be a way as I celebrate Christ’s birthday this year to focus my treasure and heart on where to give to Him?