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Response
Acts 20:35, part of Paul’s speech to the elders of the church of Ephesus, states, “In everything I did, I showed you that through this kind of hard work we must support the weak, recalling the words of the Lord Jesus himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Although these words of Jesus are not recorded in the Gospels, they were evidently familiar to the Ephesian elders and referenced by Paul as an authoritative statement. The Gospel writers did not document every action and utterance of Jesus (John 20:30-31;21:25), and this serves as an instance of an orally transmitted saying until Luke inscribed it in Acts. Our Lord emphasized the joy of giving.
Giving mirrors Jesus’ model and stands as a testimony to the gospel. Jesus came to earth “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” «even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. », (Matthew 20:28). Therefore, giving reflects the likeness of Christ and provides a means to embody the gospel through our possessions. Christians are urged to be generous because we follow a God who gives sacrificially «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. », (John 3:16).
Giving shapes our character, nurturing selflessness and countering the innate inclination toward self-centeredness. When we willingly offer our money, time, talents, and abilities, we extend beyond our own sphere and serve others. The generous individual cultivates more virtues than the perpetual recipient and establishes accountability. Other virtues nurtured through our giving efforts are
Include compassion, kindness, joy, and love.
Furthermore, giving fosters contentment. When we generously offer our resources, we express satisfaction in God’s blessings and acknowledge Him as the Ultimate Provider. While it is undoubtedly blessed to receive, it is even more blessed to give.
Scripture warns against the love of money, calling it a root of all kinds of evil “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”, (1 Timothy 6:10), and giving financially can uproot this misplaced love. Ecclesiastes 5:10 emphasizes the futility of loving money by stating, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” There’s a grasping Shylock within each one of us, tempting us to greediness. We combat that temptation by freely giving to those in need.
Finally, giving allows us to accumulate treasures in heaven, “where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: “, (Matthew 6:20). Jesus also said in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Paul reaffirms this promise of reward for generosity in his instructions to wealthy Christians (1 Timothy 6:17-19) and to the Corinthians “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”, (2 Corinthians 9:6).
There is value in receiving. We do not give to earn salvation, but receive God’s forgiveness through faith. Nevertheless, in our daily lives, the blessings of giving exceed any gift received. Truly, the generous giver harvests abundantly.
