When it comes to giving, liberalism ought to characterize the follower of Jesus. Christianity is a religion of giving. Christians are givers. Why? God is a giver. God has given us victory, peace, hope, life, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, strength, health, wealth, honor, power, love, a heart to know him, songs in the night, joy in the morning, answers to prayer, food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, rest to the weary, eternal life, living water, a new birth, the crown of life, the light of heaven, the Word of God, and, His greatest gift, His Son.

And we, His children, are never more like God than when we give. Have we become so conservative that we are no longer liberal in our giving? Here are three reasons why we should give money generously.

1. The benefit of generosity.

A physics law states: There is an equal and opposite reaction for every action. God’s Law states: It’s more blessed to give than to receive. God does not benefit givers in equal proportions, but far, far more. When it comes to a return on giving God is not fair. He is more than generous. God promises not to give an equal exchange but a return that is super-abundant, bigger and better.

R. G. LeTourneau, inventor of earthmoving machines, gave away 90 percent of his income. But the money came in faster than he could give it away. LeTourneau once said, “I shovel it out and God shovels it back—but God has a bigger shovel.”

Financial planner Ralph Doudera wrote in his book Wealth Conundrum, “I found out over the years that the more I gave, the more I made.”

2. The blessing of generosity.

Giving primes the pump for God’s generosity. Throughout scripture a direct correlation exists between our generosity with this world’s resources and the blessings of God both in this life and the life to come. We don’t give because we want to get something in return. We give because we have already gotten it. We are so blessed already; we could never repay it. We give out of gratitude for the unbelievable blessings that we have. We give to show our love for God who has given us so many good and precious gifts. We give as a tangible fulfillment of our responsibility to love and to help others. We give for the rewards that are promised when we seek God’s kingdom to expand.

If we are generous toward others, God will heap blessings on us. Not because he has to, but because he has graciously promised to. It may not be in the way we expect; we might not always reap cash for cash. But we will definitely reap. The God who promised that we won’t lose our reward for giving a cup of cold water to a brother won’t fail to bless us when we are generous to others, especially to the poor. God may bless you financially or he may simply fill your cup with joy. Who doesn’t want joy?

3. The belief of generosity.

Generous people know that God will take care of them. They do not trust in money, but rather they have staked their conviction on God’s care of them.

Every day we make a choice to either trust money or trust God. If we trust our riches we are more apt to hoard our wealth. If we trust God, we are more apt to be generous.

If we trust God—that belief—yields two rewards:

• We will flourish. Shel Silverstein in his delightful book, The Giving Tree, describes such a generous tree and his love for a boy. The young boy played in the tree. When we grew up the tree gave him apples to sell in order to make money. Then the tree allowed the boy to cut his branches to build a home. Then the tree allowed the boy to cut his truck to build a boat. And, as an old man the tree continuing to give, gave the man a stump to lean and rest on. And, the tree was happy.

•  We will be wise. George Bailey in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life had given of his time, resources, and money time and time again to the citizens of Bedford Falls. When he was on the brink of destitution, they came to his aid, following his example, and gave to him. Because he was wise in giving, he was paid back when he needed it most.

Giving generously heaps far more rewards than miserly hoarding what we have. So, be liberal, be generous.

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