PART TWO
Give More
This refers to the quantity as well as the quality of your giving.
In terms of quantity, if you are giving a fixed percentage of your income, no matter how you calculate it, you can add a percentage point today. So, you can go from 10% to 11%, or whatever applies to you. When you do that, regardless of your current financial circumstances, you take the same step I mentioned above. You say to
God, through your actions, not just your words, “God, I trust you.” You move from a worldly attitude toward money to a Kingdom-oriented view of it.
Everyone reading this post can do that today — even if you are in adverse financial circumstances. I know that sounds a bit off, but I have, whenever I was in a time of financial pressure, decided to increase my giving. It was a statement to God that I trust His word, I trust Him and I’m going to act on that trust.
If you own a business, and are not giving through the business, now is the time to consider giving from the business, out of the business cash flow. The same rationale applies. It moves you out of the realm of purely worldly values and begins to acknowledge that the business is God’s, and you are a steward of its assets and resources.
Because a business is potentially a larger and more significant enterprise than an individual, it has greater resources, in terms of money, people and influence, and therefore offers the possibility of greater impact. Deciding to give through the business, and then acting on that decision, is a first step toward a larger role in the Kingdom and more influence in the world.
But, just as important as the quantity of giving is the quality of your giving.
First, understand that the Bible offers no examples of giving to institutions. Every gift in the New Testament was made by individuals to other individuals. ( see Am I Required to Give My Tithes to the Local Church) That’s probably not a message you have ever heard before.
What would happen if you could strive (understanding that it is not always possible) to make your gifts directly to individuals in your sphere of influence whose life could be enhanced by a gift of money?
Following this idea, here’s what my wife and have done for decades. Instead of writing a check to a church or non-profit, we set aside, out of each piece of income, a certain amount, and deposit it into a special checking account which we call the Give account.
This follows the Biblical teaching in I Corinthians 16
Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.
At this point, the money has been given, but it hasn’t yet been distributed. We then look for people in our world that may need a gift of money. We both agree and make a gift, seeking to be anonymous and giving it in Jesus’ name.
This makes us, in conjunction with the spirit guiding us, responsible for the gift and forces us to be more attuned to the needs of people around us. And it fits the model taught in the New Testament.
What if you did something similar with your personal funds, and began a similar approach with your business giving? Suppose you created a business fund dedicated to ’giving” and then asked for input from your employees, vendors, and maybe even customers as to people whose lives could be impacted by a gift of money.
These are two easy, small things you can do today that will eventually have a huge impact on your spiritual journey and nudge you further along the road of living a Christ-centered life in the marketplace.
For 30 years, Dave Kahle has helped businesses sell better and nudged Christian businesses to reach their potential. He’s authored 13 books, including The Good Book on Business, and presented in 47 states and 12 countries. Review his free resources for Christian businesspeople at the Biblical Business Resource Center and subscribe to his free newsletter: Christian Business Insights here.
