In Romans 12:8b, the second phrase says in the KJV, “he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity or liberality.” The NIV says “if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously.” One of my favorite advertisements is the Red Cross Blood Banks appeal to “Give the Gift that Keeps on Giving – Give Blood Today!” Blood does enable us to keep on living and as long as we’re living we have the opportunity to keep on giving. At least if we have the motivational, spiritual gift of giving.
The Greek word here is “metadidomi” = to give over, share, or impart. And it’s to be done, according to Paul with “haplotetes” = simplicity, sincerity and liberality. In fact, in the guideline for expressing this gift Romans 8:13 says in the KJV, “Distributing to the necessity of the saints; given to hospitality and in the NIV “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Let me say to every member of the Body of Christ that through our church, God has provided the funding for “A Benevolence Ministry.” So as a part of this Body we need your eyes and ears and hearts to be discerning, sensitive and aware of needs when a member or family is struggling or hurting. If you become aware of a need let the Pastor, a member of the Benevolence Committee or a Deacon know of the need so that it can be met.
Now the person who personifies the profile of a Giver heart in the NT most clearly is our man Matthew. If you want to know about finances, money or good stewardship - where in the Bible would you go? One of two places – Matthew or Proverbs. Matthew records more about money, stewardship, resources and finances than any other writer. Now the definition of the spiritual, motivational gift of giving is the ability to earn money for the advancement of God’s work and to do so with such wisdom and cheerfulness that Christians are immeasurably blessed by the transaction. You’d never ask a person with the gift of giving to tithe! This person doesn’t give just for the sake of giving, but they give for a definite purpose of furthering God’s work. Of course, not everyone who tithes has the gift of giving. It’s a gift whereby someone receives great joy and blessing by having a part in God’s work and who gives far beyond the Lord’s tithe. So let’s look at:
The Characteristics of the Gift of Giving
1. Ability to discern wise investments
A person with the gift of Giving has a keen ability to discern wise investments in order to have more money available to give. They have the ability to make wise purchases and investments. In fact, the reason they’ve got some money is because they’re smart about making it and they don’t always give it away. Sometimes you’ll find that the people who have the most aren’t the ones who spend the most or buy the most. Oftentimes, they’re very conservative in the way they live their lives. The key to a giver heart is they have wise discernment about financial things. It’s a giftedness of the Holy Spirit. It’s uncanny how God gifts them to see things others can’t see. It’s a God-enablement. So their giftedness is their discernment and insight about financial things, not just money itself. A giver heart isn’t necessarily a money person, the money is a byproduct of the ability to discern wise investments.
2. A desire to give quietly
A giver heart gives quietly without public notice, anonymously. That is, if it’s according to the Spirit. If their giving is after the flesh, they’ll put their name on it like Trump Tower. A giver heart in the flesh has not learned that it’s all about God. We’re stewards or managers of what God has given us stewardship over. A person with the Gift of Giving has a desire to give quietly to effective projects or ministries. This person is not necessarily one who has a handout ready for everybody who’s in need. Rather they very carefully decide which project, which ministry, which person really has a need. Of course, sometimes they’re misunderstood in their desire to increase the effectiveness of a ministry with their gift as it could appear they’re trying to control that ministry or person. However, the desire of a giver heart is to give without others knowing about it. In fact, Matthew is the only Gospel writer who emphasizes that a person should give secretly so that God can reward them openly.
3. Gives without pressure or appeals
A person with the Gift of Giving will give, but doesn’t want to be pressured. In fact, they oftentimes have little or no interest in financial campaigns. They believe in trusting the Lord to provide. They have a motivation to give as unto the Lord at His promptings, not at man’s appeals. You can’t talk a giver heart into giving. They’ll resist pressure appeals. They give as the Holy Spirit leads them. Now, a giver does have a tendency to depend also on their partners counsel to confirm the amount of a gift. A husband with the gift of Giving will often confirm the amount that he should give with what his wife has in mind. Now, there are many people who give and don’t have the gift of giving and they’ll respond to pressure or appeals. But pressure turns the giver heart off. They want it to be their idea because they want to be motivated from within, not without. So a giver heart gives without pressure or appeals.
4. Uses giving to motivate others
Their desire is to use giving as a way to motivate others to give. They use their gifts to multiply giving. The motivation of a giver heart is to encourage other people to give as well. Not only do they desire to give, but when their giving is visible it’s not because they’re trying to impress anybody or build up their ego or establish their position in the church – rather the person with the gift of giving is hoping their giving is going to motivate somebody else to want to do the same thing. When we have special offering goals, when do givers give? Or when you see those telethons on TV, when do givers give? – at the end! They say I’ll match every gift that’s given in the last 30 minutes. Do you remember when Collette Jones was raising money to purchase a vehicle for her missionary ministry – a giver heart said they would match everything given in the last 30 days. And of course, she was able to get a Toyota Rav4 shipped to Guatemala.
5. Has joy when giving answers prayer
A giver heart has a joy when their giving is an answer to specific prayer. They see their giving as a ministry in itself. Say you or I pray for a particular person to be saved or we pray for a family to join the church. When that person gives their heart to Jesus or that family walks the isle to unite with our church we’re rejoicing on the inside. The person with the gift of Giving is equally delighted on the inside when they discover their ministry of giving has met a particular need and is an answer to someone else’s prayer. They say praise the Lord! They get the same sense of spiritual fulfillment that you and I would get with some other answer to prayer. Givers know that the highest and best use of their gift is when they are being divinely led to give. They’re especially thrilled when someone says, “How did you know I needed this? It’s an answer to prayer!”
6. Desires to feel a part of the gift
A person with the gift of Giving has a desire to feel a part of the work or person to whom they give. They don’t just give to a stranger and forget it. They don’t just write out a check on Sunday and give it to the church as a performance or a habit, but they have a genuine interest in what is happening because they want to be a part of the ministry. They want to see where a person is going to church and what’s happening to them spiritually and what God’s doing in their lives. A giver needs the continuous reassurance that their decisions are in God’s will whether they have little or much to give. And to achieve that, they’ll first give of themselves and then their gift to the Lord. Therefore, they not only give monetarily, they also get involved in other ways. They’ll pray for the ministry, they’ll write letters of encouragement, send “care” packages, and will even show up in person to assist in the work to be done. Which reminds me of the Men’s Ministry Work Day this coming Saturday at 8 am. Men and Women come give yourself to the labor to be done.
7. Other general characteristics of a giver
A giver heart has a concern the gift be of high quality. They’re extremely conscious of what they give and how much they give to a thing because of their interest in what happens to their money. Not because they’re tight, but because they want to see what they give last and endure and continue and be furthered. A givers ability to discern value motivates them to provide quality gifts. You might say to them, “We can get a great deal on these computers,” but a giver heart will say, “No, get these.” “But they’re the most expensive,” you say. And they say, “Get those, I’m paying for it, besides it’s a better quality, you can take it back to that store and so-in-so who owns it is a member of our church. A giver has a tendency to practice personal frugality that is, to exercise thriftiness. They’re good at handling money, they don’t squander it. They have an ability to be content with the basic necessities of life. And they’ll be alert to see what other people do with their money and will test faithfulness and wisdom by how people handle funds.
Now most churches won’t have an abundance of Giver hearts. However, God places a few of these in every church. Maybe you’re motivational spiritual gift is Giving. That’s who you are. That’s your desire, your drive, that’s what motivates the ministry you’re involved in. Is the Holy Spirit saying, “That’s you, that’s your gift?” Then commit yourself to Him and if you need to make a re-commitment don’t hesitate to do so today. I want each of you to know Jesus loves you just the way you are and wants to gift you with the Holy Spirit if you’ll receive Him today. Would you become a part of this fellowship of love and care through which you can express your gift today?
