💝 The Fifth Motivational Gift – Giving
Romans 12:5 – Amplified Bible: “So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ, the Messiah, and individually we are parts one of another – mutually dependent on one another.” Romans 12:8 – Amplified Bible: “He who contributes, let him do it in simplicity and liberality.” The King James Version simply says, “He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity.” In Romans 12:8 the Greek word that is used to designate the fifth motivational Gift – translated as “give” in the King James Version, and “contributes” in the Amplified Bible, is “metadidomi,” and means “to give over, to share, or, to impart.” This “giving” is to be done with simplicity, sincerity and liberality. Of all the seven Motivational Gifts, the gifts of giving is the one least likely to be identified by the one who has it because the giver’s “left hand does not know when his right hand gives alms” (Matthew 6:3). The giver – like the server, can be a leader or a follower – and – like the perceiver and the teacher – has a love for the Word of God. However, when it comes to the use of resources, the giver is unique! In the study of these Motivational Gifts we must be sure to distinguish between “learned behavior” and “innate tendencies.” Someone may have been raised and trained by his parents, or the church, to be generous and to tithe, but one with the Motivational Gift of Giving will have a joyful inward motivation to give and to be generous. The motivation of a giver is the God-given ability to make money, to make wise investments, in order to advance the work of the Lord. Because the giver is desirous to have more funds available with which to bless the kingdom of God, he is frugal with personal spending. The guidelines for the Gift of Giving, spoke of in Romans 12:13, are: 1. To give to the needs of Christians 2. To practice hospitality CHARACTERISTICS OF A GIVER 1. HE IS ABLE TO SEE RECOURCES A giver is very industrious, has an ability to discern wise investments, and tends to be very successful when it comes to making money. Despite his natural and effective business ability, he possesses God-given wisdom, as well as natural wisdom, and is motivated to use assets of time, money, and possessions to advance the work of the Lord. Even if a person with the gift of giving has limited funds, he still has the ability to recognize resources that are available and to draw upon them when it necessitates doing so. 2. HE GIVES FREELY OF MONEY, POSSESSIONS, TIME, ENERGY, AND LOVE – INVESTING HIMESLF WITH HIS GIFT The giver is not only willing to give generously of his money, but he is also willing to give everything else he possesses, and he gives comprehensively and with abandonment. As the giver grows into mature stages of giving, he will give with absolutely no strings attached and no ulterior motives because, convinced that everything belongs to the Lord, he simply desires to be a channel through which the Lord can distribute His resources. A giver, once he has reassurance that his decisions are God’s direction, will give himself wholeheartedly to the Lord, and then his gift. (See 2 Corinthians 8:5). 3. HE HAS A BELIEF IN BIBLICAL TITHING AND GIVING THAT, REALLY, IS ONLY THE FUNDATIONAL ASPECT OF HIS GIVING Because the giver sees himself only as a steward of God’s resources and because he believes that everything he has – money, home, car, and every other possession, belongs to the Lord – would never think of withholding part of his tithe, because, to him, that would be comparable to robbing God (See Malachi 3:8). 4. HE DESIRES TO GIVE ONLY BY THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Because a mature give desires to give only as the Holy Spirit leads him, he cannot be “talked” into giving and will resist pressure appeals to do so. 5. HE IS NOT GULLIBLE Because he is not easily fooled, it appears that God supplies the giver with a discernment that protects him from those who would wrongly disassociate him from his money. 6. HE WILL GIVE TO SUPPORT, AND BLESS, OTHERS, OR , TO ADVANCE A MINISTRY When a given selects a ministry that he wants to advance with financial support, he checks that ministry out thoroughly to make sure that it not only gets the Gospel out effectively, but, also, that the ministry’s overhead and administrative expenses are not taking too much of the donations. . HE WANTS TO FEEL A PART OF THE MINISTRIES TO WHICH HE CONTRIBUTES Because the giver is naturally evangelistic, he focuses on giving to ministries that he believes are effectively sharing the Gospel. When he chooses to give to a ministry he not only willingly gives of his money, but, also, willingly gives of his time to pray and intercede for that ministry as well as getting involved in other ways – such as quickly volunteering his services to help when there is work to be done or a need to be met. 8. HE WILL DESIRE TO GIVE HIGH QUALITY A mature giver will give the very best he has, being not only generous, but, even lavish. He wants his gift to be the highest quality he can afford, and if he cannot afford to buy a gift he will make one, with great thoughtfulness and skill. The giver’s ability to discern value motivates him to provide quality gifts because he wants them to last. More than any of the other Gospel writers, Matthew, who was a giver, describes the gifts that were given to Christ in detail. He is the only writer who mentioned “the treasures” brought by the magi – described Mary’s ointment as “very precious” – and Joseph’s tomb as “new” (Mathew 111; 26:6-11 and 27:57-60). 9. HE TRUSTS THAT HIS GIFT WILL ANSWER A PRAYER Because the give knows that the highest, and best, gift is that gift that is given as a result of the leading of the Holy Spirit, he is especially thrilled when he hears how his gift was an answer to someone’s prayer, because it serves as a confirmation that his gift was given according to God’s will since it fulfilled an unknown need. Thus, he will be prompted to give even when a need is not obvious. 10. HE WILL VIEW HOSPITALITY AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE Like the server, the giver loves to practice hospitality. While, outwardly, this characteristic looks the same for both, nonetheless, the inner viewpoints differ because while the server sees hospitality as a chance to serve, the given sees it as an expression of giving. 11. HE DESIRES TO GIVE “SECRETLY” The giver loves to give without others knowing about it (Matthew 6:1-4). Because a mature giver just wants to please his heavenly Father, he does not need people’s acclaim or credit for his giving, because, the joy of pleasing God is reward enough for him. Because the giver wants the recipients of his gift to look to the Lord for provision, just as he looks to the Lord for direction, and because he knows that future reward is more valuable then present praise, he will give quietly, and, often, anonymously. Matthew, a giver, is the only Gospel writer who emphasized secret giving – (Matthew 6:1-4). 12. HE IS CONCERNED THAT HIS GIVING DOES NOT CORRUPT Because a mature giver understands the destructiveness of the love of money, and because he is very aware that those who need his assistance may not have learned the disciplines that God has taught him in acquiring assets, he therefore, looks for ways of giving that avoid dependency, slothfulness, or extravagance. 13. HE EXERCISES PERSONAL THRIFTINESS A giver is “good at handling money.” He is careful, cautious, even a little tight with his own spending, and never squanders money. The personal assets that the given has are often the result of consistent personal frugality and the willingness to be content with the basic necessities of life. Because he does not like to waste money, and desires to get the best value for the money spent, he will spend extra effort in saving money and being resourceful with what he has. 14. HE USES GIFTS TO MULTIPLY GIVING Because the giver wants others to experience the joy and spiritual growth that comes by sacrificial giving, his motivation is to encourage others to give if it means his providing matching funds, or the last payment, in order to so encourage others. 15. HE CONFIRMS AMOUNT WITH COUNSEL A giver reacts negatively to pressure appeals for money and looks, instead, to meet financial needs that others tend to overlook. Because he seeks confirmation on the amount he feels he should give, a husband, for instance, who has the gift of giving, will often confirm the amount that he should give by seeking if his wife has the same amount in mind. DANGERS THAT GIVERS SHOULD BE ALERT TO 1. USING FINANCIAL GIVING TO GET OUT OF OTHERS RESPONSIBILITIES Because a giver may figure that if he provides the money he has done his par, he can have a tendency to shirk other responsibilities. 2. HOARDING RECOURCES FOR SELF An effective use of the gift of giving depends upon having the fear (reverence, or awe) of the Lord and, because one way we learn the fear of the Lord is by regular giving, the tithe was established (See Deuteronomy 14:22-23). If the giver stops exercising his gift, or stops tithing, he will not only begin to lose the fear of the Lord, but, also, his storing up will cause him to become stagnant. 3. USING HIS GIFT TO CONTROL PEOPLE Because the giver, like those who possess the other gifts, sees his gift as of primary importance and may not understand why some do not give as much as he does, he can – as a result of his lack of understanding – either consciously, or unconsciously, attempt to pressure others to give. Because a give has a desire to make sure that his gifts are wisely invested and used, he may buy an item rather than give the money for it. In the process of purchasing items, or sponsoring projects, a giver, without realizing it, may be using his gifts to control lives and ministries. 4. FORCHING HIGHER LIVING STANDARDS If a giver’s focus is more on the quality of the gift than the need that it is meeting, he can cause the receiver to be dissatisfied with the quality of other things that he owns. While a giver could excuse personal luxuries on the basis that he is generous with his money, nonetheless, when he is not faithful in little, God will not trust him with much. 5. FEELING GUILTY ABOUT PERSONAL ASSETS A giver, not in fellowship with the Lord, can begin to feel guilty as he stores up funds. Even if he is preparing for a special need, he must have the reassurance from the Lord that his plans are according to God’s will. 6. REJECTING PRESSURE APPEALS If a giver reacts negatively to all appeals for funds, or looks only for the hidden and unannounced needs, he may not only fail to get the mind of the Lord in a particular situation, but he may also miss an important opportunity to give wise counsel, as well as giving needed funds to a worthy ministry. 7. GIVING TOO SPARINGLY TO FAMILY Because the frugality of a giver can be extended to his own wife and children, he must show them the same concern and care that he shows to others, and he must delight as much in meeting their needs as he does in meeting the needs of others, or, they will resent his generosity to others. On the other hand, however, because he loves to give so much, he may tend to spoil his children, or other relatives, by giving too much. By listening to the Lord and by wise counsel, he can avoid the damaging consequences of unwise giving or investing. 8. GIVING TO PROJECTS VS. PEOPLE If a giver loses his focus on meeting the needs of people, he may be unduly attracted to projects. His desire for measuring value may prompt him to build a “memorial to his generosity.” Paul’s collection was for the needy Christians simply because the emphasis of Scriptural giving is the distribution of funds to meet the needs of the saints. 9. CAUSING PEOPLE TO LOOK TO HIM INSTEAD OF TO GOD If a giver lets others know what he is giving, because it will cause many to turn their attention from the Lord to himself, he runs the danger of attracting carnal Christians who have wrong motives. Because people can be trained to appeal to human inclination, they are able to extract funds from others that who are not so directed by the Lord 10. WAITING TOO LONG TO GIVE If a giver is not instantly obedient to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, not only may he lose the joy of seeing God accomplish a miraculous provision through him, but, also, the one who was to receive the gift will be denied the opportunity of seeing God provide funds precisely when they were needed. Scriptures for those who would like to further study on what it means, Biblically, to be a giver: Dorcas – Acts 9:36-42 Cornelius – Acts 10:1-31 Epaphras – Colossians 1:7; 4:12 and Philemon 23 Paul – Romans 1:1-20 and Acts, chapters 9 through 28 Lydia – Acts 16:14 and 40 Zacchaeus – Luke 19:1-10 Abraham – Genesis, chapters 13 and 14 Solomon – 1 Kings, chapters 1 through 11 and 2 Chronicles, chapters 1 through 9 To cap this off, the description of someone with the Motivational Gift of Giving would be someone who: 1. Is very frugal with money for himself and his family 2. Enjoys investing money in the ministries of other people 3. Has an ability to make money by wise investment 4. Desires to keep his giving a secret 5. Reacts negatively to pressure appeals for money 6. Likes to use his gift to encourage others to give 7. Wants the ministries he supports to be as effective as possible 8. Enjoys giving to needs that others tend to overlook 9. Sometimes fears that his gifts will corrupt those who get them 10. Desires to give gifts of high quality 11. Enjoys knowing that his gifts were specific answers to prayer How would someone with the motivational Gift of Giving react in certain situations? Let’s say that someone spills a plate of food on the carpet floor, a person with the Motivational Gift of Giving would probably react by saying something like . . . “I’ll be happy to buy a new dish for the one that was broken and pay for the food that was spilled.” If, for instance, a person with the Motivational Gift of Giving were to visit a sick person, they probably would respond with something like . . .“Do you have insurance to cover this kind of illness? Can I help in any way?” Perchance a speaker accidentally spills a glass of water that was on the pulpit while he was speaking, the person with the Motivational Gift of Giving might retort with something like . . .“Don’t worry, I’ll buy another glass – and, perhaps, a holder for the pulpit where the glass will fit securely.” Motivation of the Giver is to give to a tangible need. UNDERSTANDING THE GIVER The person with the Motivational Gift of Giving is big on providing “material” needs for others – such as food, clothing, money, etc. He is also interested in providing anything that will help others “spiritually” – such as books, printed notes, even helping to pay for theological training, such as seminars, institutes, or Bible school. A giver is one who shares whatever he can. His giving is more than just tithing, but gives financially beyond tithing. He has a conviction that, as Proverbs and Psalms bears out, “He that giveth, lends to the Lord.” (Psalm 37:26; 112:5 and Proverbs 19:17) The person with the Motivational Gift of giving is extremely interested in spreading the Gospel with his contributions. A mature giver learns the “timing” of the leading of the Holy Spirit in his giving, to be able to meet a need at the most appropriate time. One can be considered “poor” by this world’s standards and yet have a Motivational Gift of giving, as he learns to listen to the voice of God’s Spirit to lead him in this matter. He gives of his time to others. The mature giver has no need for publicity, but will give secretively, whenever possible. The giver will try to give in a manner that will bring the greatest blessing to others. “Pressure” tactics in raising an offering will offend him. He feels the Lord will lead people to give just the right amount – his experiences has proven this to be most usually so. God may need to use someone in the Motivational Gift of Giving, who does not have a lot of money – maybe, not sufficient to share. A true giver will never assume the attitude, “Let the wealthy give, I can’t,” he does what he can, even if it give of himself. Even though he is usually generous with himself, he doesn’t try to keep up with present day fashions He realizes that “confirmation” is important and will on occasions seek verification from someone he has confidence in – such as his wife, pastor, or someone he considers a wise counselor. He will seek unifying confirmation. THE PROBLEMS OF THE GIVER The one with the Motivational Gift of Giving carries a burden for the financial part of ministry and may be inclined to “worry” over the bills. He could feel, “January was a bad month for the offerings, are we going to be able to meet all of our expenses?” It could appear to some that all the giver is interested in is the financial responsibilities. The giver may not have the Motivational gift of Organizing and have a tendency to want to direct what he gives to the church, or ministry. He must learn to realize that God can, and will, do direct what is given in His name – to leave it in God’s hands. BIBLICAL - GIVERS Abraham was a giver who had God-given abilities to acquire wealth (Genesis 13:2 and 24:1). Genesis 14:14-16 reveals how God entrusted him with many assets so he would be able to share with others. Genesis 13:9-10 shows how he was willing to give a great deal of the land God had promised him [the best part] to his nephew, Lot. Abraham is called the friend of God (James 2:23). Genesis 14:14-16 tells how Abraham was willing to use everything he had to rescue his brother who had been taken captive and, when he was offered a rich reward, would not receive it, saying, “God is possessor of heaven and earth. I will not take anything from you, lest people say Abraham is rich because of what you gave to me.” Abraham tithed long before tithing was under the Law (Hebrews 7:2). Abraham gave the richest gift he had to God – Isaac, his son of promise.(Genesis 22:6). Listed below are the titles of the seven Motivational Gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8. You can choose any one – or more of them – and click on it to download and study. MOTIVATIONAL GIFT #1 – PROPHECY, PERCEPTION MOTIVATIONAL GIFT #2 – SERVING MOTIVATIONAL GIFT #3 – TEACHING MOTIVATIONAL GIFT #4 – EXHORTATION MOTIVATIONAL GIFT #5 – GIVING MOTIVATIONAL GIFT #6 – ADMINISTRATING (ORGANIZING) MOTIVATIONAL GIFT #7 – COMPASSION
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