Giving is a delicate topic for American Christians. By the world’s standards, we know we are economically blessed, but with all of our bills and debts and commitments, it’s hard to find that extra money to give away, isn’t it? And with our TV screens and mailboxes filled with appeals from all sorts of charities, how can we be sure those needs are genuine? And once we’ve scraped up some money we can give, how can we have confidence that our dollars will actually make a difference?

Well, first let’s remember what Paul says in verse 12 – our gifts are acceptable in God’s sight according to what we have. That means God’s not expecting us to support every ministry or meet every need – not even Bill Gates can do that. As a result, it is probably best for us to focus our efforts on a few churches or charities.

But as we select those who will receive our gifts, we must be careful to identify those who are truly needy, as Paul says in verses 13 and 14. The idea of Christian giving is not to burden ourselves so that others can live lives of idleness and ease – we are not called to be enablers. So, before we give, we must do a little investigative work, and this is best done when we actually know the people we are helping. And that, in turn, implies that giving is most effective when it is closest to home – after all, Jesus did tell us to love our neighbors, didn’t He?

But once we have determined the direction of our giving, and once we are satisfied that it really will do some good, we can have the confidence to give generously, knowing that God will provide for us. After all, if He could shower bread upon His people during the 40 years they spent in the desert after their escape from Egypt, He can meet all our needs as well. Oh, He doesn’t promise us everything we want, but we can be confident that we’ll have enough.

So, let’s turn our focus away from our wants to the needs of others. Let’s take a close look at our budgets to see if there are some things we can do without so we can have more to give away. And let’s be on the lookout for ways our gifts can be of genuine help to the truly needy, trusting God to do a lot with the little we can give.

II Corinthians 8:1-24 (ESV)

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,
2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,
4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints–
5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace.
7 But as you excel in everything– in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you– see that you excel in this act of grace also.
8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it.
11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.
12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness
14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.
15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you.
17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord.
18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.
19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.
20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us,
21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.
22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you.
23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.
24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.