Can You Afford Not to Give?

I recently read an article by someone I admire called, “Can Your People Afford to Give?” The article went in depth on how many people are in debt, don’t have much saved, or are stressed about their financial situation. The statistics are clear that many people in this country are in that situation, but are we asking the right question?

Don’t get me wrong; I understand that some in our churches are out of jobs or potentially living in poverty. Deuteronomy tells us that every man  “should give as he is able (16:17)” Those who have no income may not be able to give, even though we see the widow giving her two coins and I’m guessing she wasn’t working a 9-5 job.

But if we believe what the Bible says about giving, and I mean really believe it, shouldn’t we be asking “How Can Your People Afford NOT to Give?”

Do we really believe giving is an act of worship? I Chronicles 29:9

Do we really believe it’s more blessed to give than to receive? Acts 20:35

Do we really believe if we give God will bless our lives? Malachi 3:10

Do we really believe if we sow sparingly we will reap sparingly? II Corinthians 9:6-8

Again, we all know those verses but do we really believe? Do we believe enough to give when we’re paying off student loans? Do we believe enough to give when we’re paid on commission and the check won’t hit until next month? Do we believe enough to give when we aren’t sure if there’s enough to retire?

There will always be an excuse not to give if we are looking for one. But if we believe what the Bible says, we will give even when the circumstances aren’t perfect. Because who wants to miss out on all those promises, we can’t afford to!