The Art of Giving

5-16-13 The Art of Giving
It is very difficult to give with a pure heart and not have expectation or sin. By sin, for those of you who don’t know, I mean pride, self-esteem, boasting, and the like. What I strive for is humility and charity. Giving is such an overtly kind act that we think there can be no sin in it, and yet, we do.
I watched Rock Hudson’s movie, Magnificent Obsession, but at the time had no idea it reflected the biblical principles of giving because at that stage in my life, I hadn’t read the bible for myself. I just believed what others told me. Over the last 50 years of my life, I tried to do just that, when I started to really have something to give so that I could exercise that privilege. But the whole thing just eludes me like water through my fingers. I am, after all, just as human as the rest of you, and far from perfect. The benefit of listening to the word of God, reading it and trying to apply it is that we see how very messed up we truly are and have a new found appreciation for Christ dying on that cross because there is no way we could be good enough without Him. Giving is a perfect example.
When we give from the heart with no expectation or fanfare, that means no one knows. How many good deeds or kind acts do you know about? How many times have you reached out to someone to give them of your time, attention, money, resources, etc? Now of those times, how many have you done in complete and utter secret in which only God & you knew? Yea, that is tough isn’t it? Now you know what I mean. We justify it by saying that we have to let so and so know so they can be there to pick it up, or we have to this and that, but in reality, there is always a way to do it secretly, just like the good ole doctor did in that movie.
Many people give for the sense of self-importance that it gives them. Oh, they say the cameras are there to encourage others to give, but that is ridiculous. The cameras are there so we will say, “Aren’t they wonderful human beings?” Even if you don’t have a camera crew, I can almost guarantee that you are looking for some sort of acknowledgment and pat on the back. We all are.
There are so many times when I have donated items or given money and couldn’t wait to show them what I did. Then I felt so prideful and selfish that it took from the joy of giving. Even before I give it, satan tries to get me all puffed up about it and I have to shut him up. I have battled with satan and my own human nature about this for well over a year now. There are so many ways that I could just give anonymously but didn’t. I have even had second thoughts about giving at all because I found myself thinking too much about how good it felt instead of having humility and just giving.
In reality, we have to give because the world desperately needs us to do what we can to help others who can’t. All I am saying is, be aware of the internal motives of giving and do not let sin steal your blessing. Let’s try to be as the bible suggests. We may fall short, but do it anyway! God blesses those who give from the purest heart. Matthew 6:1-3
Giving to the needy
1“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3But 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. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.