The Gift of Giving

Think for just a moment about a time that you gave someone a gift whether it be for a birthday, Christmas, a “Get Well” gift, or a “Just Because” gift. Think about how it made you feel to watch them open that up. To see the smile on their face, the excitement, or maybe the memories that it brings to mind. Isn’t it a wonderful thing to know that your generosity made someone else happy? Although we may not be the one receiving the physical gift, the act of giving itself is a gift to us. It brings joy to our lives and makes us feel good about ourselves. We give so much to others at this time of year, but how much do we give to God? Sometimes it feels like we forget to give Him what He deserves. He has done so much for us. He sent His only begotten Son to die so that we could live, and He gives us love, grace, and mercy each day that we don’t deserve. He has blessed us beyond measure, but very often, giving back to Him is at the bottom of our lists. Why do we so often struggle with giving back to the One who gives us “every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17)? As we go throughout this holiday season, let’s look at a couple of ways we can focus on being better givers toward God.

1. Practice Giving Every Time You Have the Opportunity

Giving is something we are commanded to do during our worship service on the first day of the week.

The command is to set something aside every week for God as we have prospered. I like the King James Version of this passage because it shows that GOD has made us prosper. Growing up, my parents taught me to set something aside every time we received money. We didn’t have a job, but God had still blessed us with that money, so we always set something aside to give back to Him. I believe that if we are told to give, “As God hath prospered him”, then we should lay a portion of our money aside for Him every time He blesses us with it. Not only does God expect us to give back when He blesses us financially, but He also expects us to give of our time in service to Him. How often have we used the excuse, “I just don’t have time!”  When we look at things honestly though, how much of our time are we spending doing things like watching TV, or scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest? What if we all challenge ourselves to do something for God before spending time on these things? God must be prioritized in our time if we are truly trying to seek Him first (Matthew 6:33). One final area of our lives where we must look for opportunities to give back to God is in using our talents to serve Him. We all have talents, though we often doubt our abilities. However, we must remember who gave us those abilities and use them in His service.

2. Give From Your Heart

Remember the Grinch from Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas? The book begins by letting us know that the Grinch hated Christmas and everything about it. He believed that by taking all the “things” away from the Who’s that he would take away the joy they felt during that season of giving. What he learned was that the joy had nothing to do with the things themselves, but came from within. Once he learned that truth, it is said that the Grinch’s heart grew 3 sizes! What about our hearts? Do we have hearts that find joy in giving or is there room for our hearts to grow? 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us that “God loves a cheerful giver.” We are not to give reluctantly or just because we have to, but we are to find joy in giving to God in all the ways mentioned above. Start with simple, easy ways to give, ways that seem fun to you. Then, grow those acts of giving into something bigger! If you enjoy what you’re doing, then it will help you give in a way pleasing to God. 

This holiday season…and beyond…take the opportunities you have to give to others. It can be your time, presents, a meal, or even a simple hug. Remember how good it makes you feel and share that with others. Most importantly, we must remember to give to God. Give Him your time, your service, give Him your whole being. In doing that, we will all find the joy in life that comes with the true gift of giving!

Written by Halle Coble and Mindy Coble