Why do Christians keep giving in a crisis?
News is updating daily about the spread of COVID-19, Australia has been learning social distancing, and all of us are seeking to stay at home as much as we can. These are certainly challenging times for our world – and Christians are not immune to the difficulties of adjusting to the current way of life.
Yet there are a huge number of Christians – those who are not undergoing significant financial challenges – who are still seeking to be generous with what they have. Why is that? What is it that motivates Christians to keep giving to churches and charitable organisations, instead of keeping their wealth for themselves?
Here are three reflections on why Christians show generosity to others, even amidst a crisis.
Because God has been generous to us
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
John 3:16 is a familiar verse to many of us – kids and adults alike have it memorised. But take a closer look at the words and you will see a wonderful truth about generosity. God loved our world so much that he would willingly give his Son to be a sacrifice for our sake. The life God gives us now, bought for us by the precious blood of Christ, is the greatest act of generosity our world has ever seen!
Christians keep giving because God was first generous to us. Everything we have was given to us by our Father, and everything we own ultimately belongs to him. And for those of us who have much, we have the opportunity and the challenge to give much too.
Because the harvest is still plentiful
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:2)
In these challenging times, many people are feeling increasingly isolated from one another, and some are struggling to have their day-to-day needs met. Yet the biggest problem currently affecting our world is that every day, people continue to live in spiritual darkness. This presents Christians with a great opportunity to use their giving to share hope in a time of hopelessness.
Christians who are able to give financially do so because they recognise their responsibility to care for the world, and the people, whom God created. They are finding ways to share the love of Christ in practical, emotional and spiritual ways, and through their generosity they are helping people around the world to come to know the true Jesus.
Because we have a lasting hope
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.
(2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
Christians who keep giving in hard times remember that the hope they have far outweighs their current circumstances. In 2 Corinthians Paul points to the momentary afflictions that Christians face on earth as shaping and preparing us for the eternal weight of glory in Christ. Christians are able to keep giving amidst their own personal trials because they are focused, first and foremost, on “the things that are unseen” – their eternal life in Jesus.
This lasting hope is what CMS workers all around the world are seeking to share with people, as they teach God’s word and build up believers.
Support missionaries during the CMS Lasting Hope Appeal
During this challenging time, it is critical for our missionaries to continue to pass on the news of the Lord Jesus in their locations, and we need to support them as they do so. In this year’s CMS Lasting Hope Appeal, we need to raise $1.6 million by June 30 to ensure we can support our missionaries in their vital gospel work.
If you are able to joyfully give to support CMS missionaries, you can do so at lastinghope.cms.org.au. Please keep praying that Christians will be generous with what God has given them, and trust in the wonderful hope they have in Jesus.
