“‘When you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you’” ( Matthew 6:3 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: –4).

From this and other Scripture, we can learn principles to guide us in God-honoring giving. First of all, genuine heart-giving is an investment with God. “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” ( Luke 6:38 38 give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again. ; cf. 2 Cor. 9:6).

Second, biblical giving should be sacrificial. We don’t determine this by the amount, but by the proportion. Consider the widow and Jesus’ observation: “A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned’” ( Mark 12:42 42 And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. –44).

Third, Christians of all income levels should give. If you don’t give when you have little, you won’t necessarily give when you’re prosperous. You might give a larger amount, but not a greater proportion. Jesus’ parable of the unrighteous steward teaches, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much” ( Luke 16:10 10 He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much. ). God is concerned not with how much you have to give, but with how much love is behind the gift.

Ask Yourself

Think of personal examples from your own life where this “faithful in small things” principle has proven itself true. What have you promised you’d do if only you had a little more? What has usually happened when the “more” became reality?

From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.

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