Motives For Giving Series

What motivates people to give? You could read about results of research on this topic about what part of giving is motivated by self interest and what part is motivated by serving others. Our interest here is not the human psychology side of giving motivation, but the biblical motivation. What do we find in the bible about giving with the right motives?

It is important for us not just to give to the Lord, but to give with the right motives. Jesus rebukes those who gave with the wrong motives, so we need to carefully consider our motives and how our motives align with God’s purposes and glorify God.

In the sermon on the mount Jesus warns the crowds of giving with wrong motives.

So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, (Matthew 6:2-3)

It is wrong to give to receive recognition.

This passage is clear about wrongs motives in giving that pleases God. The motive should not be drawing attention to yourself. Do not announce your giving to the poor. We are not to sound trumpets so everyone will know about our giving. We don’t need to make a display of our giving to be seen and heard.

It means don’t let your motive for giving to be honored by men. It is not wrong if your gift is put on a board to encourage others to set an example. It is wrong if your motive to giving is recognition. There is the problem of the gift being recognized publicly of blurring the line of not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. The idea for selfless giving is secret giving.

It is wrong to give to manipulate.

There have been cases where wealthy landowners gave money to the church to keep the church leaders from addressing injustices, they were guilty of. This would be an example where someone could give huge amounts of money, but the heavenly reward would be miniscule.

What is even worse is when money is given in an attempt to manipulate God. Dear God, I gave such and such amount of money to this worthy cause, now I demand so and so.

It is wrong to give and expect return.

This is where the prosperity gospel has taken a wrong turn. Anytime we promote giving to get we have given with the wrong motive. This is what Jesus condemned in the Sermon on the Mount.

It is true that the patriarchs had massive wealth, but Jesus the Son of Man had no place to lay his head.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:32-36)

The emphasis is to give to those who cannot pay you back You don’t expect a return gift. There are those who receive back something when they give and some who do not. There are those who give and then find their own financial need was miraculously met. But that does not always happen, and we have wrong motives if we give to expect that to happen. It is wrong to give to get. That is giving with the wrong motive.

So far, we have seen some wrong motives for giving. Let’s look at some of the right motives for giving.

God’s grace is a pure and right motive for giving.

God’s grace to us is the undeserved favor and blessing that we have from God. The Christian has nothing he has not first received from God. Even the very act of giving is itself a gift of God. It is giving part of what by God’s grace He has given to us.

But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love, we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)