[04ctd]

A Biblical View of Stewardship Part 8
The Secret of Giving

Everything we have comes from Gods handall our wealth, our abilities, our talents, our intelligenceall of it comes from God. We are merely stewards of Gods treasure, great and small that He has entrusted to us. Our giving of our wealth, our abilities, our time, and our talents is an act of worship given to God and directed by God.

God is asking us to give for all the right reasons, not because we have been coerced or shamed or pressured into giving. He wants us to bring our gifts to Him as directed by the Holy Spirit. Since our giving should be directed by the Holy Spirit, what difference should it make how much a person gives? God will bless and multiply the gift when it is given for all the right reasons.

Remember the little boy who gave a few fish and a little bit of bread. God blessed what the little boy gave and there was an abundance left over. Remember the poor widow. She put in a fraction of a penny. Yet Jesus said she put in more than all the rich people who threw in large amounts.

The value of a personÔÇÖs contribution to a church or an organization should never be measured by how much money that person gives. This is the reason we are directed to give our gifts in secret. When our giving is done in secret, influence and positions of authority will never be awarded based on the amount of money given.

Matthew 6:1-4
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

We are warned about announcing how much money we give and how much service we do, just so we can receive praise from men. That would be giving and serving for all the wrong reasonsjust to be seen and honored by men.

Matthew 6:16-18
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

We cannot be justified by God with our public display of serving and giving. We are justified by humbling ourselves and acknowledging that we are sinners in need of mercy from Almighty God. (Luke 18:10-14)
What is the Biblical View of Stewardship?

GodÔÇÖ instructions are to bring His wealth to Him, as led by the Holy Spirit, for all the right reasons, willingly, cheerfully, without coercion, and in secret.
This is the secret of giving.