How will I know when I’m giving enough to my church?

Luke 21:1-4While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Observing people at the Temple treasury, Jesus described God’s standard for generosity: The degree of a person’s sacrifice matters more than the amount of the donation. Millionaire philanthropists whose high-dollar gifts never alter their lifestyles, can be less generous in God’s eyes than the struggling single parent who foregoes a needed pair of shoes in order to give. God looks for the willing heart, not the extravagant amount. God sees how our giving affects our lives, not just what it will accomplish for his Kingdom. Does our giving cause us to do without something significant? Can we honestly say that we give sacrificially? That’s the kind of giving that expresses true generosity.

Matthew 6:2-4“When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

2 Corinthians 9:6–7Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

If we give because of social pressures or out of a desire to impress people, then we give for the wrong reasons. Love should always be the motivator for generosity. When we give to love God and others, we will receive great satisfaction and eternal rewards.