"What then shall we do?"

What then shall we do?

The Bible is filled with verses that teach us how to live our lives and how to use the many blessings and gifts God gives us. Many of us don’t like to be told how to spend our money or use our time, and it can be uncomfortable to hear that we may not be living as God requires. But it is wiser to learn to use our blessings, be it talents, money, or possessions, as God tells us to.

Proverbs 11:24-25 says,

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.

This seems contradictory; the world will tell you to hold on to as much as possible, after all, didn’t you work hard to get what you have? God has every right to tell us what to do with ourselves and our possessions; we are His, and all good things we have are gifts He has given us. So, what does God tell us about giving? We are to give freely, generously, and even self-sacrificially of our possessions, time, and energy. Even more, we are to be cheerful givers! 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 tells us,

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.

There’s a reference here that the people at that time understood, that we may not realize now. This is a reference to how fundamental it was to plant enough seeds in their fields to secure a good enough harvest not only to eat but also to plant the following year. If a farmer failed to plant enough, it would mean disaster. There wouldn’t be enough to eat, and if they consumed their whole crop, they would have no seed to plant the following year.

Giving can be compared to the planting of seeds. We must sow (or give) generously to receive a bountiful harvest. We must not only give generously, but self-sacrificially, and with a right heart. Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Our bodies are not our own, and in Romans 12:1, Paul tells us, “To present your (our) bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your (our) spiritual worship.” Not only are we to give of the things we have, but our entire selves ought to be a living sacrifice; we are to be imitators of Christ, our perfect example. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Sacrificial giving is not the same as generous giving. Turn to Luke 21:1-4,

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

The widow had given a smaller amount, but her giving was self-sacrificial and therefore actually meant more than what the others gave. When we give, we are to give of ourselves; a voluntary, cheerful act of worship. Not under compulsion but trusting in God’s provision and rooted in generosity. When we give sacrificially, from a heart that wants to please God, He promises to “supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). We are to give with the right motivation, not seeking recognition, but with a generous heart that trusts in the One who cares for us and gives us all good things. The Bible teaches us that we can trust that when we give, God will supply us with everything we need because He is the One who gives us everything. Deuteronomy 16:17 says, “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.”

Look, once again, to Jesus. When the crowd in Luke 3 asked Jesus, “What then shall we do?” He told them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with Him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” (Luke 3:10-11). But Jesus wanted us to do more than share our possessions. In all we do, we must follow Him. We must not cling to or be selfish with the blessings God has given us, but, if necessary, be willing to give up all we have for His name's sake. In Matthew 19:20-22, a young man told Jesus he had kept all of the commandments. He asked Jesus, “What do I still lack?” Jesus, knowing the man’s heart, told him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” How many of us would react in the same way that the young man did? “When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” The man was lacking a right heart that truly lives for Christ. Proverbs 21:26 wisely says, “All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.”

As Christians, we are to use our time, money, talents, indeed all we have, to serve God and to His glory and honor. 1 Peter 4:10-11 tells us,

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We need to trust that when we give of all we have, God will continue to provide us with all we need, for

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

In the Old Testament, God commanded His people to give the first fruits of their produce and harvest to God, trusting that God would provide enough for them with the rest. In Ezekiel 44:30, it says,

And the first of all the firstfruits of all kinds, and every offering of all kinds from all your offerings, shall belong to the priests. You shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, that a blessing may rest on your house.

In Proverbs 3:9-10, we read a promise, “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (See also, Malachi 3:10-12, Deuteronomy 26:1-15, Leviticus 23:9-14, Exodus 23:16,19).

So, “What then shall we do?” Give. Give generously, willingly, and cheerfully of all that God has given you. When we give in this manner, it is evidence that God the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, making us bear the fruits of the Spirit. Whether that means volunteering your time, giving money, or using the talents God has given you to serve others, give of all you have been given. When you find yourself having a hard time giving or giving with a right heart, ask God our heavenly Father to fill you with His Word and Spirit. Ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit that you might have a right heart. A heart that earnestly seeks to do His will, that seeks to serve others, and that gives willingly, cheerfully, and self-sacrificially of all that God has given you. “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16).