We all know what giving is, right? We can give lots of things, like time, energy, and resources. The act of giving isn’t difficult to define or recognize; however, a person’s motivation is. Besides God, no one truly knows why one person gives to another. We may be convinced because a certain act is truly obvious; however, God sees the whole heart of a person, all aspects of it. The quality of giving depends on its purity.

The purer the giver’s heart, the better the gift. Consider the purity of Jesus’ heart while He hung on the Cross, giving all He had. He is our benchmark for giving.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Hebrews 12:1-2

I was reading Paul’s epistle to Philemon the other day. In this beautiful letter, Paul makes a case for forgiveness towards a runaway slave, Onesimus, to Philemon, who was apparently saved through Paul’s ministry.

Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart.
- Philemon 1:8-12

As a disciple of Christ, Philemon’s duty was to forgive Onesimus (Luke 17:3-4). Paul knew this and could have commanded him to take his runaway slave back, but Paul sought a better way. He wanted to give Philemon godly perspective so that his forgiveness would be from the heart, in a pure sense that would glorify God through an act of grace. In other words, Paul wanted him to be a cheerful giver (to for-give).

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

With the letter to Philemon as our example, might we conclude that giving is best when all parties abide in the sphere of grace? For the record, “forgiveness” is often the English translation of the Greek word, charizomai, where charis (the root) means “grace”. We might say that when giving becomes a way of life, forgiveness is a foregone conclusion, and all parties are blessed.

Now, let’s get back to motivation because that’s why the Spirit has me writing this blog. I’m going to break it down into four distinct possibilities.
- Right giving with right motivation
- Right giving with wrong motivation
- Wrong giving with right motivation
- Wrong giving with wrong motivation

First, righteous giving is something we learn from Holy Scripture. God decides what’s right and it’s our duty to obey. As in the example we just noted, it was Philemon’s duty to forgive Onesimus. Second, righteous motivation is an issue of the heart. God gave each of us a conscience to help discern this for ourselves (of course, humility is paramount).

‘Right giving with right motivation’ is what Paul was hoping for with Philemon. He was afraid that Philemon might hold a grudge and fall into the ‘right giving with wrong motivation’ category, which would’ve been a hollow victory. Giving out of a sense of duty alone isn’t necessarily cheerful giving, is it?

Sidenote: don’t ever think that just because you may not be properly motivated to give, you shouldn’t (that’s not what the Bible teaches at all). Our primitive duty to God is to obey (e.g., ‘right giving’)! Cheerful giving evolves and improves as we mature spiritually (e.g., ‘right motivation’).

A good example of ‘wrong giving with right motivation’ is a parent who spoils their child. While they desire to show their child love, they are doing so in a damaging way, setting their child up for a lifetime of misery. A good example of ‘wrong giving with wrong motivation’ can be found in just about every aspect of worldly living, where people give to others for the sake of manipulating them for personal gain. This last case is completely outside of the sphere of grace.

Instead of pointing fingers at others, let’s make this very personal and be honest with ourselves. If ‘right giving’ is decided by God, do we ever have the right to pervert the Truth or disobey? So, if God says you ought to give a certain amount of your income to the Church (e.g., your firstfruits), do you have the right to ignore Him? If ‘right motivation’ is discerned through your conscience with the help of God the Holy Spirit, do you have the right to ignore it? So, if you know it’s the right thing to do and you don’t do it, would that be a sin?

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
- James 4:13-17

The question at the outset of this blog is, “What is Cheerful Giving?” The only answer is the same one Paul sought with Philemon, which is the result of ‘right giving with right motivation’. Any alternative to this falls short of God’s full intention to bless His children. “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

It's not my job to come knock on your door because you’ve been disobeying God’s command to give in some way or another. It is my job, however, to teach the Truth to the best of my ability and do my best to prod your good conscience. “Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,” (Hebrews 12:1). I, like Paul towards Onesimus, want you to be a cheerful giver so that your joy may be complete, as it was in Christ when He gave His all on the Cross.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
- Matthew 6:33

Love in Christ,

Ed Collins