New online fundraising events seem to pop up every day. Many sites allow you to fund-raise for any number of activities. Some of the campaigns tug at heartstrings when they ask to help with surgeries or downtrodden families. Other pages ask for help paying for a honeymoon or a large purchase. I even found one the other day that asked for money to dig a hole. The hole appeared to have no purpose but still managed to raise over $95,000. A large donation like that would sustain the orphanages we sponsor for at least three years. Amounts that large donated to a food bank could provide a Thanksgiving meal to almost 75,000 people in homeless shelters, as another example. As Christians, are we making wise decisions with our donations?
[bctt tweet=”As Christians, are we making wise decisions with our donations?”]
Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” And as I travel with our charity, the world sees and understands the depth of American generosity. But I wonder if we have lost the way with our giving. I believe most of us will give gifts to our family and friends during the holidays. Giving gifts is a beautiful tradition but are we called to a different kind of giving? Do you plan to make any charitable donations this Christmas season?
The Bible is full of references directing us to help others. I have listed a few below:
- Proverbs 21:26 – “The righteous gives and does not hold back.”
- Proverbs 3:27 – “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to do it.”
- Proverbs 22:9 – “He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.”
- Proverbs 28:27 – “He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.”
- Luke 6:30 – “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.”
If you are still reading this blog, you might be thinking of how hard it is to make ends meet each month. Why should I give away some of my hard earned money? God reminds us in Luke 12:48 “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” Compared to the rest of the world, Americans remains in the top 1% in earning. Over 80% of the world’s population lives on less than $10 per day ($3,560 per year). Almost half of the global population lives on less than $2.00 per day ($730 per year). The US average income in 2018 stood at $61,858, over 17 times higher than 80% of the world. God blesses us with much, and in return He expects us to use our gifts to help others. God calls each of us to give to help others.
[bctt tweet=”God blesses us with much, and in return He expects us to use our gifts to help others.”]
Giving Tuesday is just around the corner. A day created to remind us of the importance of giving after all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping frenzy. By participating in a day dedicated to donating to those in needs, you can make a significant impact on many lives. Even a donation of $5 or $10 can help stop hunger for one person. This year, why not spend a few dollars less on gifts for friends and family and donate it to someone in need. Many charities need your help to continue to help others. Join the movement today.
[bctt tweet=”You can make a significant impact on many lives.”]
Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving,
Yvonne – #blogger, #speaker, and #author
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Additional Resources:
There are many opportunities to be a blessing to others. Whether we choose to financially help or help with time and talents, we have opportunities to show His love. 🙂
Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving
Yes, this is awesome. Recently, even though I’m a 24/7 caregiver, the Lord has asked me to bless others with my time and “expertise” as it were. It seems I will be volunteering my time with the youth of our city and teaching them how to write fiction and self-publish. Also, my family and I will pick two charities to tithe to. Thanks for this post as it is more confirmation that I should go ahead with His plans for me.
Thanks Debby and Happy Thanksgiving
Thank you Yvonne – giving is the greater good – I love what you have written. Amount that seem small in the UK or the USA can be trans-formative, even in our own Countries sometimes.
One can of items of shopping given to a foodbank, replicated a 1000 times and you have a tonne of food to feed those in need for weeks.
Giving is life affirming – it blessed both giver and receiver – thank you for your encouragement
Thanks Bob and God bless
Insightful thoughts on the subject and the statistics are staggering. My grandma and I were just discussing this the other day. Thank you for refocusing us to both our blessing and our responsibility.
Thanks Stephanie and Happy Thanksgiving
Yvonne, I appreciate your encouragement to live with generous hearts and generous hands. I particularly love one of the passages you reference, Luke 12:48 “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded.” We will be held accountable for how we use and steward all that God has provided and blessed us with. So this article is a great reminder, especially at Thanksgiving, to give thanks for what we have and to share and support others both in service and finances. Thanks Yvonne!
Amen Anne. Happy thanksgiving
$95,000 raised for a hole in the ground? That’s nuts! Thank you for pointing out how important it is to spend our money wisely, looking for places to give that will help people the most.
Thanks for visiting Lisa. Happy Thanksgiving
Yeah – that’s pretty depressing really – unless it was to find water or something.
Yvonne, I am interested to learn more about your charity. What is it called, and what do you do?
Thanks for asking. It is called Orphan Relief Effort and we provide a childhood to orphans in Myanmar and Nepal. Our website is http://www.orphanreliefeffort.org and we have a Facebook page also.
Something to be thankful for is the wonderful feeling we get when we helps someone else. It’s so easy today to stay inside our little circle and miss a need right next to us. Happy Thanksgiving. And Happy Giving Day! God bless!
Thanks so much Nancy. Happy Thanksgiving to you too
I love this. It really is a blessing to GIVE.
Amen Jessica. Happy Thanksgiving
Thank you for this nudging. I hadn’t realized we Americans earned so much more than many others. I pray for a more generous heart. God bless your charity work.
Thanks Stephen and God bless
Great word and reminder, Yvonne. We live in such a consumer-based culture. Even David Platt says the church has bought into a consumer mentality. And that’s no only with our wallets but with the way we have a consumer driven mindset about spiritual things. To really bring pieces of heaven to earth, we are Jesus with skin to others. That means in our giving and our generosity to the least of these. (Matthew 25) Thank you for your work and charity. It truly models Christ.
Thanks Karen. I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving
Thanks for the reminder, Yvonne. I’ve had similar thoughts. My family is blessed so richly by God. We have the means to help, and we’re going to. It’s great to give to our church and to spinsos a child, but like Schindler, I don’t want to look at my new shiny toy and think how many could have been helped for its cost. I’ll take your challenge!
Great to hear and can’t wait to hear how it goes. God bless
I’m so glad we have “Giving Tuesday” – I don’t remember that being around when I was growing up. It’s a more recent phenomenon right? We’re asking everyone to donate to our ministry this year instead of giving gifts. And it’s truly what would make us most happy.
As you said, most of us are pretty rich in this country. Anything we actually need, we usually buy.
So very true Christina. Thanks and God bless
Yvonne, what a timely and heartfelt call to give in ways that truly help others. I had no idea that there were pitches being made for personal luxury endeavors. Praying for hearts to be softened to give wisely, with the generosity as God has blessed us. Thank you for your heart.
Great thoughts Yvonne! I love giving and as the ED of a non-profit, I can definitely say that I don’t like asking others to give. But as I give myself, I find that I am blessed in return probably more than the organization/ministry that I am donating to. God definitely does return blessings to us when we give out of a GLAD heart.
Thanks Paul for the comments and all you do to reach out to others to help them in Jesus name. God bless
Amen. I think it’s important to give. God steers us, and all we need to do is say YES.
I agree Jessica
Thanks for the reminder to give while listening to the Lord for guidance.
God calls us all to be faithful with our money and our life. God bless
We need to be open handed and helping people. Good post!
Thanks Julie. God can use each of us to help others. God bless
There have been times in the 42 years of marriage that it was hard to give monetarily. With a growing family and tight budgets we somehow gave when we could and when it was difficult we seemed to find a way to give back through service and helping others in the community and at church. Your post is a great reminder that we have a responsibility to give.
Amen Claudio. God is faithful to us. God bless
Giving feels good. Plain and simple. To be selfish and not help someone in need when we have the means to do so, is put ourselves in bondage. Selfishness hurts us. I love the verse you quoted and one that I often reflect on when I see someone in need, ““Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to do it.” Proverbs 3:27. In America, we have much, much more than we need. We may be making ends meet, but even in this, we have something to give. We just have to break free from our selfishness to do so.
Thanks Marcie. That is a great verse to use when we think about giving. God bless