A Spiritual Approach to Giving

The idea of giving back isn’t new, but it is spiritual. My hope is that this article will provide a spiritual understanding of why we give and why we sacrifice.

 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’

Acts 20: 35

Jesus makes it clear that it’s better for us to give than to receive. This simple concept has a million applications, both in church and in the world around us.

If you take a step back and spiritually look at what God has done in our church over the past 10 years, it is truly amazing. Our Y-Ministry has grown and evolved into a pillar of our church and community, impacting the lives of countless teenagers and families along the way. Many of those teenagers have become Christians, and some have even had the opportunity to learn to lead spiritually and give back to other youth in the Bay Area.

This is all the result of God moving, and God has certainly moved through our own investment. This investment is more than just financial—time, energy, heart, serving, conversations are all investments that make God attractive to our communities and lead to changing lives.

Even in the world around us, the concept that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” is validated over and over. Take one look at the Forbe’s article, The Benefits Of Giving Back, and even there it is clear that volunteering and giving back will benefit you in more ways than one (not just spiritually, but your health and career as well). The happiest people are truly the ones who serve and give back.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

How did God show us his incredible love? He gave. Take those 2 words and stop there for now. God showed his love by giving, by sacrificing what mattered to Him most. God gave because he believed in the impact it would make on all of us.

What does your giving show about your love?

What do you think giving your best to God really means for you?