A letter to Dear Abby a number of years ago reveals the heart of what many believe about giving:
Is it considered proper to make change from the offering plate when it’s passed at church?
A member of our family says it’s not OK. I say, it’s better than not putting anything in. Your opinion please.
In other words, it’s good to give — just don’t give too much and make sure to get a good accounting for yourself.
This is wholly antithetical to what Paul exhorts the Ephesians to do. The redeemed and transformed believer in Christ should look for opportunities to give as freely and generously as he can. Two thoughts dominate.
First, every believer should be looking for those who are in need so that he might share with them from his own prosperity. He should be intentionally seeking out and attentive to those who are in need, always observant for signs that someone is struggling to provide for his own. Elsewhere Paul would say that this must include particularly those who are genuine widows — unable to provide for themselves and with no family to care for them. But this exhortation in Ephesians includes more than that. It includes all who, for whatever the detrimental circumstance, are unable to provide for themselves and their family.
Secondly, the believer who gives should not be afraid to be liberal and generous with his gifts. This is the example of the Macedonians (2 Cor. 8-9). They not only begged for the opportunity to give, but then also found that God gave to them graciously so that they had an abundance for fulfilling all their charitable desires (2 Cor. 9:8). In other words, God gives to those who give cheerfully, not so they might then indulge selfish desires, but so that they might continue and expand their generous giving. God refills the bank accounts of those who give so they might continue to give!
These two principles are a radical departure from how many (most?) in the world think about finances and giving and work. But these attitudes are also indicative of an individual who is being increasingly transformed by the gospel into the likeness of Christ.
Words of Grace 