But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
It is interesting how many times I hear people complain that they do not like to go to church because all they ever hear about is how they should give money. Or, they think that people become pastors so they can make lots of money and get rich. Sometimes I wonder if they think that everyone who plays basketball on a team makes millions of dollars too because of the salaries that NBA players make. Those of us in ministry just shake our heads in disbelief how some people can be so ignorant about what the vast majority of pastors get paid if they get paid at all. I will admit, I have encountered people in ministry that turn every message or teaching into a prosperity gospel plant-your-seed-money-and-get-rich pitch. However, what you usually find is that sooner or later, most of these so called ministries are exposed for some sort of financial or personal improprieties. This is because some people pursue ministry as a career and not a calling.
The truth is, that Jesus spoke a great deal about money and where your heart is when it comes to wealth and treasure (Matthew 6:19-21; Mathew 6:25-34; Mark 12:41-44). Likewise, today’s verses are part of a larger passage that goes into detail about our attitude when it comes to giving. Some people struggle with looking to the Old Testament as their guide to giving, thinking that 10% is the goal. However, when you add in the fall harvest (Feast of Tabernacles) and the provision for widows and orphans, the number is actually 30% (Leviticus 27:26-34; Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Jesus and others in the the New Testament taught that it is not the amount that you give that matters, it is the attitude. We are taught that we should give with the mindset that we are dong so because we love God and love our neighbor (Romans 12:1-2; 1 John 4:19).
When we give to a ministry that is financially responsible and accountable Scripturally, we are providing the means for those in ministry to spend full time with the resources they need in the service of the Lord and others. When we work with our hands, God wants us to use our wages to provide for the needs others (Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:17-18). It is not about planting our seed money so that we can harvest more money. It is about planting our seed money so that we can harvest more souls! When we have this attitude, the last thing on our mind is what we get out of it. Instead, the first and last thing on our mind is what others get out of it. When we have this attitude, we don’t look at 30% as a burden to meet, we look at 30% as a limitation that holds us back.
