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John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
What did God do? He gave! What motivated Him to give? For God it was the need … What would motivate you to give?
Sometimes there is just no other way that a need can be met without someone giving to meet that need. In fact … there are three basic reasons why anyone should be motivated to give. These three reasons are plainly detailed in the Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments.
I am going to teach these three reasons in such a way that I hope they will be easy for you to remember. The three reasons a person should be motivated to give are to:
1. Meet the Need
2. Sow a Seed
3. Follow the Lead
First let’s talk about being motivated to ‘Meet the Need’.
Again, based on the first principle of salvation, God was so motivated by love that He looked down upon a world of lost humanity in need of a Savior and decided to do something about it. God realized that He had in His possession what it would take to meet man’s need. Sure it would cost Him, and cost Him greatly … nonetheless God was moved to give out of what He had to meet the need. And remember:
God did not give His extra Son, but His Only Son!
But the giving didn’t stop there. Truly God gave His Only Son but Mary was also moved by the leadership of the Holy Spirit to give her Firstborn!
You see, sometimes we could be tempted to think that God, Who sees all needs and loves all people, will surely do something to meet the needs of those who cannot help themselves. That is a correct assumption but it does not go far enough into the equation. God will certainly meet real needs but, He will do it through some person who is willing to follow His leading. God works and even loves through others.
That’s what the scripture in 1 John means:
1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
This is exactly what Zacchaeus did in Luke 19:8. He was motivated by love to give and meet the needs of the poor. Only one chapter prior to this, in Luke 18, we find Jesus taking time to explain to His disciples why another wealthy man refused to give anything to meet the needs of others. This man, Jesus explained, never came to know the true riches God was willing to give to him because He would not give to others.
This speaks to one of life’s basic principles in that:
God will seldom continue to give to you what He cannot give through you.
A second Biblical motivation to give is to ‘Sow a Seed’.
Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."
Such was the case of the widow in 1 Kings 17. Also to note is the story of Isaac who sowed in the land of famine and in that same year received a hundredfold increase. You can read about his faith in Genesis 26.
Just remember that God loves a cheerful giver and:
2 Corinthians 9:6 He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
The third motivation to give is to: ‘Follow the Lead’.
The Apostle Paul provides several platforms for us to understand that it is scriptural for church leadership to request offerings for special projects which require funding from time to time. One of the accounts of such a request to give is found in 1 Corinthians 16.
The history leading to this moment shows Paul much occupied with raising financial relief for the poor and persecuted Believers in Jerusalem. He evidently received a commitment from the Corinth Church while he was with them in person however, as of his writing the letter we know as the book of 1 Corinthians, they had not been forthcoming with their offerings.
It seems that the Churches in Macedonia and Galatia had already sent some relief and so Paul once again encourages the Believers in the Church at Rome and Corinth to do likewise. This would not be the last time Paul mentions this offering to the Corinthian congregation.
Now, after setting forth the Church doctrine, which he concluded with the close of Chapter 15, the Apostle Paul directs his attention to helping the Church by putting a plan in place which will assist them in receiving this collection for the saints in Jerusalem with their great need. Paul begins:
1 Corinthians 16
1 ¶ Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:
2 On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.
3 And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem.
4 But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.
Pleas from leadership which contain encouragement to give to a particular project or vision were not uncommon in Paul’s day or even in earlier times.
We see Moses making requests for the Children of Israel to bring their gold and silver to him so that the tabernacle in the wilderness could be constructed and furnished for worship. Listen to what Moses said when he needed money to do what he believed God told him to do.
Exodus 35
4 And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying:
5 Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze…”
What were the results?
Exodus 35
21 Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
22 They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the LORD.
This offering was in direct response to Moses’ plea. Those who trusted Moses, believed he was hearing from God, were motivated to participate. Many hearts were stirred and everyone who was of a willing spirit followed Moses’ lead and brought the offerings he requested.
The response was so great that:
Exodus 36
6 So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary." And the people were restrained from bringing,
7 for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done—indeed too much.
So, let me say it once again: The three major motivations to give are: To meet the need; To sow a seed; or To follow the lead! I hope this encourages you to connect with God and motivates you to be a cheerful and liberal giver to God’s work in the earth. May He give not only to you but also through you! Ask yourself: What would motivate me to give?
