Charitable giving has long been a priority in our culture. Every year millions of Americans and thousands of small and large businesses donate billions of dollars to a wide variety of worthy organizations.
I read an article recently that raised 3 questions in my mind. I asked myself these questions and I want to share them with you briefly.
- What is your personal philosophy about charitable giving? Most people have never invested the time to ask and answer this question personally. We know that our actions reflect our inner beliefs. If you consider yourself a generous person, what are the principles that guide your giving? Most generous people that I know are guided by personal convictions so they are not driven by the winds of emotions or culture. When we identify our core beliefs about Giving, we position ourselves to respondinstead of react to legitimate needs that we see all around us. And there’s a huge difference in those two words.
- Why do you give? In other words, what is your normal motivation for giving? In the Middle Ages, Jewish philosopher Maimonides created eight tiers or levels of charitable giving.
His list is written highest to lowest, but I would encourage you to read from the bottom up.
- Giving an interest-free loan to a person in need; forming a partnership with a person in need; giving a grant to a person in need; finding a job for a person in need, so long as that loan, grant, partnership, or job results in the person no longer living by relying upon others.
- Giving anonymously to an unknown recipient via a person or public fund that is trustworthy, wise, and can perform acts of tzedakah with your money in a most impeccable fashion.
- Giving anonymously to a known recipient.
- Giving publicly to an unknown recipient.
- Giving before being asked.
- Giving adequately after being asked.
- Giving willingly, but inadequately.
- Giving “in sadness” (giving out of pity)
- What is the absolute highest form of giving?
The most well-known verse in the Bible is John 3:16. During a late night conversation, with a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus, Jesus made this famous, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
For the sake of time and space, I only want to highlight God’s motive for sending His Son Jesus from Heaven to our planet. God didn’t make this unimaginable sacrifice because He felt sorry for us or because we were behaving in a way that gave Him warm feelings about the citizens of this world.
Actually, our situation was the exact opposite. By nature and our actions, we were enemies of God. Yet He loved us and therefore He gave generously.
It is important to clarify the meaning of that word “love” that is used in John 3:16. There are at least 3 kinds words that are translated “love” in Scripture.
- “eros” – This word is best described as sexual love.
- “phileo” – This is love that is motivated by common ground, shared beliefs, or friendship.
- “agape” – This is the highest form of love. This is love that is based on the character of the giverand not the worthiness of the recipient. This is the Greek word that is used in John 3:16! Almighty God determined to love humanity regardless of our worth. He demonstrated that “agape” love by sending His beloved Son to earth to minister for 33 years and then offer Himself as a sacrifice on a Roman cross outside of Jerusalem. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, each one of us can personally experience God’s forgiveness, enjoy a more purposeful life, and one day live in that celestial place called “Heaven”.
If you are reading this article, I assume that you are already an active giver on one of the levels I previously mentioned. I trust each of us will invest a few minutes to reflect on these 3 crucial questions. Thank you for your compassion and generosity to invest in others.