When my wife and I were asked to write an article for this series, our first reaction was to decline. We did not want to create an image that we were trying to take credit for something we have done. Neither did we want to suggest that our example was the right one for everyone. But we agreed to write because we hoped it could help others as they consider their giving.

Why we should give

God has provided a simple guideline on how to be generous givers. We call it the golden rule: we should share our material blessings with the church and other people in the same way that we want God and others to be generous with us. The guideline is easy to understand, but doing it consistently is difficult. Our human nature has trouble parting with the money and goods we want to call our own.

Perhaps the biggest principle to consider in generous Christian giving is remembering who really owns and provides everything we have. Psalm 24:1 is clear: “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” We don’t really own anything during our life here on earth. We simply are given the opportunity to be stewards of what he provides. If we understand and believe that, we can look at giving in a different light.

God’s resources can be used in two ways. The first is to provide for our own and our family’s physical needs. The second is to support the work of the church and also to help others. God did not firmly state how much he wants us to allocate to each of these categories. But he did make it clear that we should keep our priority on the second category at the same time as we take care of our own needs. He promised that we would never lack anything we really needed physically if we kept generous Christian giving as a priority.

How we should give

If we believe everything is God’s and we know he wants us to give generously, when should we start? It is wise to establish goals and giving habits early in life. Preschool and grade-school children can give a small amount to church or Sunday school each week. High school and college students may not have much income, but a regular routine of contributing will make giving easier. If adults haven’t already done so, they should establish a goal and then stick to it. Starting your giving early and continuing it consistently will lead to giving becoming a way of life. The longer you do it, the easier it becomes.

When you are blessed with additional resources, more is expected of you. The story is told of the man who committed to giving 10 percent of all his income to the church when he was making $200 per week. He had no trouble putting his $20 in the collection plate each Sunday. God blessed him, and after several increases he reached an income of $1,000. He considered giving $100 weekly to the church, but he told God that it was just too much. He could not afford that level.