1 John 3:17
17 But whoever has the [c]world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him? 18 Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words].
Giving and sharing are part of good stewardship. Love gives as demonstrated by God who is love and John tells us that if we have love then we will share what we have with those who are in need. One of the scriptures we love to quote in Christian circles is
Acts 20:35 (AMP)
35 In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to give than to receive.’”
But the truth of the matter is that this is one of the least demonstrated scriptures among believers. It is more blessed to give yet every time we talk about blessings we talk about receiving. When was the last time you gave a testimony of how blessed you are because you have given?
To give is not only an act of good stewardship and love, it is also an act of faith.
James 2:14-17
14 What is the benefit, my fellow believers, if someone claims to have faith but has no [good] works [as evidence]? Can that [kind of] faith save him? [No, a mere claim of faith is not sufficient—genuine faith produces good works.] 15 If a brother or sister is without [adequate] clothing and lacks [enough] food for each day, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace [with my blessing], [keep] warm and feed yourselves,” but he does not give them the necessities for the body, what good does that do? 17 So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective].
I find it interesting that when talking about practical faith, the example that is given is one of giving to a fellow believer in need and not “standing in faith” and believing God for something.
There is a hidden power in giving that many of us beliers are yet to discover.
Proverbs 19:17 (AMP)
17 He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor lends to the LORD, And the LORD will repay him for his good deed.
Proverbs 11:24-25 (AMP)
24 There is the one who [generously] scatters [abroad], and yet increases all the more;
And there is the one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want and poverty.
25 The generous man [is a source of blessing and] shall be prosperous and enriched,
And he who waters will himself be watered [reaping the generosity he has sown].
Generosity has got nothing to do with how much you have, its an attitude of the heart.
