Why Do We Give? — TDW Kids

Because God Gave First

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Why would poor people give away what little they had? The Bible's answer is not a rule or a reward. It is a Person. Christians give because God gave first.

The greatest gift. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God is the first and greatest Giver.

Rich, then poor. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus left the glory of heaven for us.

Born in a manger. The King of heaven was born as a baby. Mary “laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

All the way down. Jesus “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

He came to give. Jesus said He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). A ransom is a price paid to set someone free.

Personal. Paul wrote about Jesus, “who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Jesus did not give to a crowd only. He gave Himself for you.

Everything else too. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

Every good gift. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). Your family, your food and your friends all come from God.

It all belongs to Him. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness” (Psalm 24:1). When we give, we are sharing what was His all along.

Love answers love. “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Giving is one way love answers back.

Not to earn. We never give to make God love us more. Salvation is “the gift of God, not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). A gift cannot be earned.

The Macedonians understood. They had received God's grace (2 Corinthians 8:1), so “they first gave themselves to the Lord” (8:5). Their giving was a thank-you note to God.

What we learn. Every time we give, we are copying our Father. We give because He gave His Son for us.

What to do. This week, make a list of gifts God has given you. Thank Him for each one, and ask Him to show you one way to share.

Giving in the Christian life is never the starting point. It is always a response. Paul begins 2 Corinthians 8 with “the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia” (8:1), and he ends his appeal with “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” (8:9).

Grace, gift and thanks. The Greek word charis (say: KAH-rees) runs through chapters 8 and 9. It means God's grace, the gift itself and also thanks. Grace received becomes grace given, and it returns to God as thanks.

John 3:16. God “gave His only begotten Son.” Every act of Christian generosity is a small reflection of the Father's gift.

2 Corinthians 8:9. The eternal Son was rich in glory with the Father. He became poor by taking on human flesh, living without a home of His own and dying on a cross. Our riches are forgiveness, adoption and eternal life.

Philippians 2:5-8. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Paul uses the same pattern of rich-to-poor to teach humility. Generosity begins with sharing the mind of Christ.

Mark 10:45. A ransom was the price paid to free a slave or a captive. Jesus paid with His own life, the costliest gift ever given.

Romans 8:32. Paul argues from the greater to the lesser. If God gave His Son, He will not hold back anything we truly need. Generous people trust a generous God.

James 1:17 and Psalm 24:1. God is the source and owner of everything. We are stewards, managers of what belongs to Him. Giving is simply moving His resources where He wants them to go.

1 John 4:19. Love is always second for us; God's love is first. The same is true of giving. We give out of what we have first received.

Ephesians 2:8-9. Because salvation is a gift, giving can never be a payment. Anyone who gives to earn favor has misunderstood grace completely.

2 Corinthians 9:15. Paul ends his whole discussion of giving with a shout of thanks to God for His indescribable gift, Jesus Himself. The collection chapters begin and end with God's giving.

Why it matters. When giving is cut off from grace, it turns into either pride or guilt. When it flows from grace, it becomes worship.

Application. Before you give anything, time, money or help, stop and thank God for what He has given you in Christ. Let the gift be your answer to His.

A Glad and Willing Heart

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God cares about why we give and how we give, not just what we give. The Bible shows us the kind of heart God loves.

A cheerful giver. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Decide in your heart. Purposes means plans or decides. God wants giving that you choose with your own heart, not giving you are pushed into.

A willing mind. “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have” (2 Corinthians 8:12). God never asks you to give what you do not have.

Not for show. Jesus said, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1). We give for God's eyes, not people's praise.

A secret. “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3). Quiet giving keeps our hearts humble.

God sees. “Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6:4). God notices every quiet act of love.

Treasure in heaven. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). What we treasure shows what we love.

One Master. Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). Mammon means money and things. Generous hands show that God is our Master.

Content. “Now godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Contentment means being thankful for what you have.

Trust. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Givers can trust God to take care of them.

As to the Lord. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). Even sharing a snack can be done for Jesus.

No grumbling. “Do all things without complaining and disputing” (Philippians 2:14). That includes sharing with your brother or sister!

What we learn. God does not need our money. He wants our hearts. A small gift given gladly pleases Him more than a big gift given grumpily.

What to do. Next time you share, do it quietly and happily, just for Jesus. Ask Him to make you a cheerful giver.

Jesus and Paul both cared more about the heart of the giver than the size of the gift. God loves some motives, and others spoil a gift.

Cheerful (9:7). The Greek word for cheerful is hilaros (say: hee-lah-ROSS). Our English word hilarious comes from it. God loves the giver whose heart is glad, not the one who gives with a sigh.

Purposes in his heart. The giver decides ahead of time, freely, before God. That rules out two wrong motives: grudging, which is giving with regret, and necessity, which is giving because someone forced you.

8:12. God measures a gift by the willingness behind it and the means of the giver. Jesus praised a poor widow who put two small coins into the Temple treasury, because she gave all she had (Mark 12:41-44).

Matthew 6:1-4. Jesus warned against giving to be admired. The hypocrites were rewarded with applause, and that was all they got. Secret giving looks for the Father's approval alone.

Matthew 6:19-21. Earthly treasure can be eaten by moths, ruined by rust or stolen. Treasure stored in heaven is safe forever. Our hearts follow our treasure, so giving trains the heart toward God.

Matthew 6:24. Mammon is money treated like a master. Generosity breaks its hold. Every gift is a small declaration that God, not money, is in charge.

1 Timothy 6:6-10. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” Paul warns that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Contentment frees the heart to give.

1 Timothy 6:17. The rich are told not to trust “in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” God is generous, and He wants us to enjoy His gifts and share them.

Philippians 4:19. Paul wrote these words to the Philippians, one of the generous Macedonian churches. They had given to Paul, and he assured them that God would supply all their need.

Hebrews 13:5. “Be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” The promise of God's presence is worth more than any possession.

Why it matters. A large gift can still displease God if pride or guilt drives it. Even a tiny gift can delight Him if it comes from a glad, trusting heart.

Application. Check your motives before you give. Ask, Am I doing this for Jesus, gladly and freely? If not, ask Him to change your heart first.

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