By THE SPIRIT Paul wrote to the Philippians:
16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.
17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.
18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
One of the greatest challenges we face is overcoming the fear of scarcity and lack. This fear often prevents us from being generous in meeting others’ needs and necessities. People will use all sorts of excuses in order to refrain from being generous. Most often it will arise out of judgment of the other person or organization. When you or I restrict the flow our fruitfulness becomes restricted as well. When we purpose to be generous givers it enables FATHER to direct resources toward us because HE has found willing vessels to bring forth blessings to mankind.
One reason we don’t give is because we are unwilling to hear FATHER in that particular area of our relationship with HIM. There is a difference between HIM not telling me to give and me not hearing HIM when HE tells me to give. I suspect that giving might require a greater sensitivity to THE SPIRIT than most other areas in our relationship. Paul understood the importance of giving because it results in fruit abounding to our account and thus opens the door for FATHER to supply all our need according to HIS riches, not man’s.
Over the last four and a half decades I had to purpose to be a giver for it did not come naturally with me. I grew up as a child in scarcity and was accustomed to lack. FATHER began to show me HIS economic reality and my wife and I began to give unto others. Our giving was modest which is another word for “small” but we began to be faithful in our giving. In turn FATHER blessed us and we began to realize how HIS Kingdom works. We did not attempt to judge the recipients of our giving for we were young and innocent in our walk. People will often not give because they judge the recipient to be unworthy of their gift. FATHER is interested in your intent and when HE directs you to give you should not worry about the worthiness of the recipient. Let HIM deal with that issue. Your fruitfulness is not dependent upon the recipient, only your willingness and intent toward giving.
In John chapter 6 Jesus fed over 5,000 people because one young boy was willing to give:
9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.
First of all, among the 5,000 there were surely plenty of people who were not deserving but that did not matter to Jesus for He was willing to feed all. The disciples could not see a way to feed the crowd for they did not have enough money in the treasury to go to town and buy sufficient food for the crowd. Jesus revealed a Kingdom principle for all to see. FATHER is not restricted to our current situation and is able to meet all our need… and then some. At the end of the feeding of the 5,000+, all had eaten and were full. Not only were they full, the young man who initially gave the loaves and the fishes took home more than he started out with. FATHER is generous by HIS Divine Nature of Love and we should seek to be the same. If we can overcome the world’s view of scarcity, abundance of resources will flow to us and through us and those around will no longer suffer lack. FATHER’S Love will penetrate their hearts as they experience our generosity.