Out of all two thousand and some times that the word “giving’ is mentioned in the Bible, THIS is my favorite passage. What a powerful statement–a call to action. The Lord is saying, “test me.”
He’s telling us that if we tithe (give ten percent of our income back to Him….to the church, feed the poor, etc), we will be blessed. So much blessing that it will blow our minds. Want a wealth-building tip for 2022? It’s right here in the book of Malachi. There are storehouses of good fortune up in Heaven waiting to be opened and poured out when you give with these biblical requisites:
*Good Cheer (Prov 22:8)! Probably the most important requirement that must be met. If you give out of obligation, begrudgingly, because you “have” to, it may not be met with Kingdom rewards. The Lord wants you to experience His joy when you give. If it’s hard for you to give with joy, pray and ask Him to soften your heart. For many givers, doing good things for others brings a huge high (it’s called the joy of the Lord).
*Zero Expectations (Luke 6:35). We can’t expect appreciation from the recipient, accolades from others, attention, even reward from Heaven. Paradoxical, yes. But if we expect to get something from God every time we give, and that’s our primary motivation, it won’t happen. We have to give from a place of surrender and release our financial worries (place your finances on His altar). We have to be like, “Okay, Lord. Money’s tight this month, but I want to be a good steward and use some of what you have given me to bless someone else. Please show me how. I trust you to provide for all my needs.”
*No Questions Asked (Luke 11:28). If the Lord tells you to give something in particular to someone in particular, honor Him. He knows what he’s doing. He blesses His children in neat and creative ways, through people who are willing to partner with Him. Maybe you bought the postal carrier a $10 coffee card for Christmas, but then you hear the Holy Spirit softly whisper, “Add a $50 food card.” May not make sense to you in the moment, and it might be more than you want to spend, but are you willing to obey?
When my husband and I were dating (eleven years ago), we were long distance. He flew into Maryland one weekend to see me. Instead of dining out at fancy restaurants, I asked him to help me fill a holiday need. Christmas break was approaching and I heard about a local elementary school where many of the students lived in low-income housing and would be home for ten days with little food. It pained me to think about kids having to spend a joyful time of year with growling bellies, so I prayed and asked God how I could help. We ended up loading up our carts at a warehouse with food and snacks to make gift bags for every kid in the school, nearly five hundred. Needless to say, we were exhausted after shopping, sorting, stuffing, and transporting all weekend. But to see five hundred smiles of appreciation that Monday morning was priceless. I felt the joy of the Lord that day, and I’ll always cherish that gift (Isa 58:10).
Seeing those smiles was gift enough, but the Lord had more in mind. He moved us into our dream home a few weeks after Christmas–a home that we were barely qualified for (loan wise), that was on the market for all of one day, that received several higher offers with better terms. We fell in love with the house immediately but knew it was a longshot. One evening during holiday break, we took a trip over to meet the sellers of the home (which was technically not allowed since both parties were represented by agents and, as a title attorney, I knew better…but God said, “Go!”). They welcomed us in, shared that they were considering many offers but had difficulty making up their minds, and listened to me marvel over the property. The next morning, their real estate agent called ours and said they accepted our offer.
The storehouse opened. Huge Pour!
Not convinced? Don’t take my word for it. Take His. This holiday season, step outside of the box and in give in a new way. He will lay the details on your heart as soon as you ask Him. I dare you!
