The Gift of Giving

Welcome to the InTouch podcast with Charles Stanley for Wednesday, September 23rd. Do you see giving as a burdensome command of God or as a joyful opportunity to serve others? Today we'll explore the spiritual gift of giving as we continue our series, Living in the Power of the Holy Spirit. Each believer has a motivational gift. That is the thing that gives you the most sense of confidence when you operate out of that gift.

You'll have the greatest sense of fruitfulness, being more productive that way, greatest sense of contentment because you're operating and working out of that particular gift.

Now, a person can have any one of the seven gifts that he mentions and do well at whatever vocation God calls you, for example. A person can have the gift of service and be an excellent administrator. A person can have the gift of mercy, for example, be an excellent leader.

So it doesn't mean that just because you don't have that particular specific gift doesn't mean you can't do well at what you do. The issue is not what your calling or what your profession, but the issue is do you know what that spiritual gift is? You will operate out of that. And so, when it comes to the gift of giving, what does he mean when he speaks of the gift of giving? Let's look at the characteristics and you ask yourself the question.

Certainly, I don't have the gift of giving because I'm not wealthy. It has nothing to do with being wealthy. You could have the gift of giving and being wealthy. You could have the gift of giving and not be wealthy.

So, it's not so much how much you have, but your attitude about it and what you do, how resourceful you are, and how you take care of those resources.

So, what's one of the first characteristics? One of the first characteristics is this: and that is, a person who has the gift of giving is able to see resources, they're able to identify things that oftentimes people overlook. And so, that person is able to make wise purchases, wise use of their money in order to have money to give for the Lord's work. And whereas someone would say, well, I just don't have anything to give, the person with the gift of giving, they're able to see, well, if I use this wisely, if I expend my resources wisely here, if I don't purchase that at this time, I'll have more to give to the Lord's work. And so they are able to plan ahead.

That's why they have resources to give because they are very careful with their money. A second characteristic of this person is simply this, and that is, they desire, when they give, to feel a part of the work. The person of the gift of giving isn't somebody who just sort of gives with no relationship. They, first of all, give themselves, they have to see that they're involved in that work. For example, Whether it's some other ministry or whether it's a church or whatever it might be, they want to be involved themselves.

Their heart's got to be in it. They just don't give it out there and spread it out and have no relationship. They want to be involved. They want to feel like they're a part of it. They want to feel like they're making a contribution to the Lord's work.

And so their heart goes before their money. And oftentimes that person needs assurance. In their heart, they need assurance that their decision is a decision that God has enabled them to make, not just giving it, but they want to be certain that God has led them to give because their heart is there, not just their money. A third characteristic that's so evident in them, and that's this. They desire to give high quality things.

For example, the person with the gift of giving isn't going to find the cheapest thing they can find to give you a gift. But they're going to buy something that is of the quality that they can be proud that they gave it. Not that they want credit. And also, they want to give the kind of gift that has a lasting value to it. They don't buy trinkets and junk.

They want to buy something that has a lasting value that will be meaningful to you because it was meaningful to them to purchase it. And of course, there's also the characteristic. That they hope that their gift is an answer to prayer. The person with the gift of giving is very careful, and so they hope that somehow. that they have discovered a need.

and without you even mentioning it, that they are able to meet that need and they get the greatest pleasure in recognizing the fact and realizing that they, without being told, have given to meet a need that God impressed them to give. The person with a gift of giving lives with a sensitivity. They live with a sensitivity of what is God saying, how does God want me to handle this? And the greatest sense of satisfaction that they get is simply this. They gave, not knowing what the particular need was.

or didn't know it when they knew that they wanted to give. And then find out that what they gave was a specific answer to prayer.

Now, so when it comes to our relationship to money. And money can corrupt people as well as also crown them with many blessings. It depends on your attitude toward it and how you handle it. And so the person with the gift of giving is very careful. They want to be sure that God has told them to give it.

And that's a very wise thing because people can just squander God's money. uh and on the basis of being generous. are giving to others when sometimes that's the the motive's wrong. When you're giving to be recognized and giving to get thanks and giving to be seen and giving to be heard and all the rest, as the scripture says, He says, You know what? And Matthew is the one who said it.

He said, You already have your reward. We give because we love him, we give because he's told us to do this and to speak to that person or to give to them. The personal gift of giving, very careful, and what brings them the greatest satisfaction is they gave and discovered there was a need. God spoke to my heart, and I obeyed God.

Now, this person also has a desire to give secretly. And that is, they love giving without telling anybody. And you know what? One of the reasons the person with the gift of giving just keeps on giving is because as they keep on giving, not asking for anything in return, not looking for recognition, what does God do? God honors that.

But giving secretly, the person who has the gift of giving, they take great delight in doing that because, as we said, first of all, they want to meet needs. for the Lord's work. They're not looking for credit, not looking for recognition, but they're looking to be involved in the work. Because you see, the person of the gift of giving is not interested in getting rewards here and now. They're interested in future rewards.

And so they can give generously, they can give however God requires them to give, and know in their heart that one of these days, at the judgment, they'll be rewarded accordingly. And then, of course, the person with the gift of giving prefers to give without appeals.

Now, there was a time, for example, on television when many people were asking for money, and here's what they'd say. And I can remember this. If you don't give to this ministry, If you don't send it in today, we're going to be off the air next week. If you don't give now, we're going to be gone. And my feeling was: be gone.

And here's the reason. If God wants you on, He'll keep you on. You don't have to browbeat people to give. If it's the Lord's work, then listen, imagine Almighty God not providing for Almighty God's work.

So we trust God. There are times when you make the need known in a very wise way. But when you start pressuring people to give, the person of the gift they're giving may have tons of money to give, but you know what? They just start backing off. They don't like pressured appeals.

Well, the truth is, none of us do. The person with the gift of giving, if you want to turn them off, Turn up the pressure, you turn them off. Because that's the way they think. That's how they're wired for God. Just like the prophets wired a certain way, the teachers wired a certain way, the exhorter, everybody is wired a certain way.

And so the person of the gift of giving, very careful what they do with their finances. They're not being tight, they're not being stingy. It's just the fact that they choose because they understand the value and the power of financial resources. Then of course There is the concern that giving corrupts. The person with the gift of giving also has an understanding that money can corrupt.

Now, money is neither good nor bad, it is simply a tool. You would not say this hammer is good or bad if it's made correctly, it's just a tool. Money is a tool. And listen carefully. Money can corrupt.

And you look at the people, for example, who win the lottery. How many of them are disciplined? How many of them are broke within a few years? Why? Because they didn't know how to handle money to begin with.

They don't know how to handle it today, and it doesn't last. And the scripture tells us and warns us that it's like a bird with wings. It can leave you very fast. You can lose it a whole lot easier than you worked for it and made it. And so the person with the gift of giving, very sensitive to those things.

and very sensitive and realize that you cannot be undisciplined with money. And when I say floating through the malls, for example, I simply mean that a lot of people, simply this, they're not disciplined with their finances. They somehow never stop to think, if I go shopping, Should I ask God about whether I should buy this or not? And here's what happens. They ask the wrong question.

The wrong question is this. The wrong question is, if I buy this, how much will I have left? That's not the right question. The right question is, is this the wisest thing to do? Because you can always rationalize, well, if I buy this, let's see.

I may have to scrunch a little bit, but I think I'll make it. Why are Americans in debt? Lack of discipline. Lack of discipline. We don't have to have everything we see.

We don't have to have the most expensive. There are some people who shop at the most expensive places. You know why? Not because they can afford it, but they love to talk about where they went shopping. Why pay twice the price of something equal in value So you can boast of it.

Poor handling of your resources. Person with the gift of giving, they're going to ask the right question. Is this the wisest thing I can do? Is this the wisest way for me to handle it? Am I getting the best value for my money?

And oftentimes, people do not. They ask the question: what do I have left? God holds us responsible for the way we spend all of our money. Let me ask you a question. Wouldn't you really rather have what God would provide for you with freedom, financial freedom, you don't want anybody anything?

Wouldn't you rather be financially free than to have all the stuff that's not needed, not necessary? And the truth is, listen, one of the characteristics of that person is contentment. Personally gift of giving who is walking in the Spirit, they're contented. And if God wants to add something, or if He says you can have this or you can do this, here's what you'll discover. Watch this.

God will give you much more. Than you expect, anticipate, or deserve if you let Him do it in His timing, in His way. But if you go out there and get yourself in debt, you know what happens? Oftentimes, God would provide for people what they get in debt buying because they don't give Him time to provide it in His way. You say, Well, now God would never do so-and-so.

How do you know He wouldn't? And I think it must grieve the heart of God when he sees a person going out and purchasing something that he already knows he's lining up somebody over here to give them that very thing. You say, well, now God wouldn't give me that. You don't know that.

Well, I don't think I deserve that.

Well, that's not the issue. The issue is this: Is God trying to teach you something? Does He want to show you how awesome He is? Does He want to show you how great He is, how good and loving and kind He is? Just give Him the opportunity.

And sometimes we don't. Most people don't. And so they get themselves in debt, and then they wonder why they're having a hard time and what's God up to in their life.

Now, that person also listened is very thrifty in what they purchase, not just what they think about other people, very thrifty. Yeah. The result of that is this, that sometimes that person in realizing what it took for them to make what they have. And most people who have an abundance worked hard. Most people who have an abundance worked hard, they saved, they tried to be disciplined in the things that God wanted them to have.

Uh what they have. They have because They have practiced some very simple principles.

So, the person with the gift of giving, they understand the value of money, how it can corrupt you, how it listen, think about this: anything that enslaves you is not good. And so any conduct that you and I have. Any way we live that puts us in any form of slavery is not good because he said, listen. He came to set us free. free in every aspect of our life.

We all agree that any form of slavery is wrong, that God wants us free to obey Him. Then of course, there is the whole issue of giving to motivate others to give.

Sometimes the person who gives and all of us are giving. And there's nothing wrong with sharing with someone else, not so much how much you give, but you might say, you know what, God impressed my heart to give so-and-so, and I did. Let me tell you what He did. You see, what happens is we have wonderful testimonies. of what happens in our lives when we give.

especially, and the person with the gift of giving, they love to give sacrificially. Because they see God at work. And you see, a person maybe who has plenty. are certainly more than they need. For them to give sacrificially, sometimes it's hard because they have to ask, well, What's sacrificial?

Because the more I give, The more I receive, and so they don't even feel the sacrifice, but they love the idea of giving to the point that they recognize: well, listen, at least I've sacrificed something here.

So sometimes the sacrificial gift isn't so much the fact. that we give when there's so much plenty. But the fact that we sacrifice something else. And the person with the gift of giving understands that, that there is blessing when we put the Lord first and obey Him in whatever He may require of us. And then, of course, they're able to see.

They're able to see financial resources and other people overlook. If I challenge you today, not putting pressure, and challenge you to give more than financially, you say, well, you know, there's no way I could give that much. But here's what the gift of giving says. I don't have that much cash. But what else do I have?

What would happen in your house? If you went in your basement In your closets, In your attic, Things that you haven't looked at in years, things you have not used, dresses of trousers of suits you've not worn, you said, I'm going to collect everything in my house. That I'm not using, and I'm going to see what happens. You may be surprised at how much money you have invested in stuff. Or things that you don't use, that you don't use them anymore.

Let me ask you a question. How many of you ladies have pushed dresses back in the car? You don't ever wear them anymore. You wouldn't give them away, but you don't wear them anymore. How many of us have suits we don't wear anymore, or trousers or shirts or whatever it might be, or shoes?

But how many of them do you really use?

So listen, the person with the gift of giving, you know what they do? They see resources. Other people say, well, you know what, I just don't have the money.

Well, look around. And the reason I know that's true is because on one occasion we were raising money and asking people to make sacrificial gifts, you'd be surprised what people came up with. They had yard sales, garage sales. They looked at their jewelry. They gave jewelry.

They looked at other things they have. They sold all kinds of stuff. I mean hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stuff. That was not being used, they cashed it in, sold it in some fashion, gave it to the Lord's work.

So the person with the gift of giving, they see these resources that oftentimes are overlooked. And then, of course, the person with the gift of giving, oftentimes, before they give, they will confirm it with their husband or wife. And let's say that God challenges you as a husband to give so much money to whatever, to whomever. Personally, the gift of giving doesn't give just off the cuff. They want confirmation.

And so the man's going to say to his wife, let me tell you what I'm thinking. Why don't we pray and ask God to show us both?

So that we'll both know that we're doing the right thing. And there's a great sense of security because you see, the person with the gift of giving wants, desires to protect. what God has given them, not that they're not going to give it, they want confirmation.

Now there's a greater sense of security. She and I both prayed about it, he and I both prayed about it. It's what we believe God wants us to do, and they give in that fashion.

So somebody says, well, I'm not rich. Will this make me wealthy? Let me tell you why it will. He said, That's what I've been waiting for you to tell us. I've been waiting the whole message to find out how this makes me wealthy.

Tell you make you wealthy. You'll have a fantastic relationship to Jesus Christ. Because you're bringing your life under discipline. and you're being obedient to him. That is the greatest form of wealth possible.

Now you say, well, I had something more in mind like dollar marks.

Well, let's put it this way. Here's what he says. Given it shall be given to you. And it's to be given to you. the way God gives, and that's a full measure.

The personal gift of giving Has a wonderful opportunity, but a great sense of responsibility and accountability. And I would simply say this. Learned first of all. The principle of discipline. I do what is right.

what is wise, what is best, and then I'll watch God operate. And you'll see what happens. You may be surprised at how much money you save in one given week. By watching carefully. How much you spend.

What do you spend it on? How much you give. and how much you listen to God. Before you Part with your resources, you had to work for. And God in His grace gave you the strength to do it.

You may find out. that you're more wealthy than you thought. And you may find out with a little practice of discipline that God will multiply your resources. And you may find out as you operate on discipline. He will set you free of debt.

And you thought it could never happen. That's my prayer for you. Thank you for listening to The Gift of Giving. If you'd like to know more about Charles Stanley or InTouch Ministries, stop by intouch.org. This podcast is a presentation of In Touch Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia.