John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This passage of scripture reveals the motive factor which moved God to send His Son into the world to save us from our sins, and it was love, the type of love that is manifested in giving. All true manifestations of love will ultimately include giving of some kind, whether it be giving of our material goods and services, or giving of our time to the service of God and man, but one thing is certain, the love which comes from God always motivates those who receive it to give in some form or fashion. The tenor of this world's type of love is to hoard for ourselves first, and then to give occasionally to clear our consciences, or for tax refunds. But the love of God gives and gives and continues to give, even when it is met with cold receptions on the part of those to whom it is exercised. Let's read:
Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
One of the ways in which our love and our giving becomes tainted is when we refuse to help those who have done us wrong, or who have mistreated us in some form or another. In these types of situations we sometimes find ourselves having to think twice about whether we would give, and it is often the case that we refuse to show kindness towards the people who have despitefully used or persecuted us. Another type of flawed giving occurs when we are moved to give because of social pressures, or because we feel bad about our own selfishness. God does not condemn us for our flawed giving, but what He does require is that we behold Christ from day to day so that our love will be manifested in giving that is in harmony with the spirit, character, and motives of our Lord.
When the widow woman was approached by Elijah the prophet, she was in the most dire of circumstances, for she was in the process of preparing her very last meal, after which she intended to close her doors permanently, and die with her son. But the prophet asked her to give at this most critical moment, to which she responded in the positive, thus showing that the giving type of love which only comes from God was operating in her, and the rest is history. The question is how many of us would have shared our very last meal with a stranger whom we had never seen. And had we done so, would it have been with a willing heart and mind, as God says it should always be? Let's read:
2nd Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
In our day and in our own experiences, let's ask God to give us the heart and mind of Christ so that our giving may be without bias to all our fellowmen, and if there are internal struggles taking place in our hearts over this issue, let's remember that Christ was manifested to cleanse us from all sin, and if we behold Him from day to day, we will be changed. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to cultivate the mind, motive and practice of Christ through the effectual working of The Holy Spirit in us, for God's love is the giving type of love. Let's read:
1st Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!