Myth, 89

 

~ Since God Owns All He Doesn’t Want My Giving ~

Myth  ~  God doesn’t need my money or giving of my time or talents.

Deception  ~  This idea is sometimes based on the reality that since God owns all He doesn’t need anything from me.  “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.  I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine” (Psalm 50:10-11).

From a materialistic view this would make sense.  From a relationship or spiritual perspective it is clearly in error. 

Reality  ~  In contrast to all religions Christianity is a loving relationship.  Lovers give to each other!  “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Jesus doesn’t ask for you to give of your time, talent, and treasure because of His need but for your need.  In our self-centered world giving is good for your spiritual life and happiness.  Giving also builds your faith.

“I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak.  And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).

Related Myth  ~  It would be easier to give if I had more. 

“Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’  So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother’.”  

“And he said, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth.’  So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, ‘You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’  But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich” (Luke 18:18-23).

“And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, ‘Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had’” (Luke 21:1-4).

Comment  ~  Jesus gave His all for you.  He gave His life.  Jesus lived the life I could not live, and paid the debt I could not pay. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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