The One Thing We Refuse to Give God

Giving becomes worship when your heart is in it. Hebrews 10 urges believers to spur one another on, and Matthew 6 warns against giving to be seen, and both point to the same place: the heart. For many people the one thing they hold back from God is money; for others it is time. The real question is what you are still not yielding to Him.

Is giving an act of worship?

Yes. On Beyond Sunday, Pastor Mike Alvarez said what stood out to him from the weekend message at Calvary Church of Naperville was Pastor Marty Sloan's point that generosity is an act of worship. "We don't really think about it from that perspective," he said.

It is easy to treat giving like a chore: I give because that's what you do. Scripture says to let your heart be in it, which is the heart of the message Gratitude Engages Generosity.

Should you keep your giving a secret?

At first glance, two passages seem to pull in opposite directions.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Hebrews 10:24

Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Matthew 6:1

Read alone, Matthew 6 might sound like you should give online, tell no one, and pray quietly in your room. Read through the chapter, and it is a rebuke of piety put on for show.

Pastor Mike pointed to Jesus' words about not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing (Matthew 6:3). "It's a heart condition," he said. "Are you worshipping God? Are you really worshipping yourself?"

The early church in Acts shared everything openly. Ananias and Sapphira went wrong by pretending to be more generous than they were (Acts 5:1 to 11). When you give to be seen, the attention is your reward, and it is a hollow one.

Why do young adults hold back their treasure?

Pastor Mike leads Calvary's young adults, a generation that gladly offers its time, talent, and testimony to the local church. Treasure is often the last thing on their radar.

Part of that is trust. "They don't really trust the church with their money," he said. They have seen too many videos and memes on Instagram and TikTok. Many are also worried about making rent and buying groceries. So the church has to teach generosity more than once and help people live it. Pastor Mike noted that churches celebrate healings and answered prayer but rarely talk about how the Lord responds when people give generously.

Why talk about money at church at all?

The host described a friend who is strongly against giving money to the church. His answer: greed and consumerism may be among the greatest sins of the American church today, so shouldn't we talk about generosity that much more? The point is not that the church needs money. Money is often the very thing the enemy wants us to hold on to.

Pastor Mike agreed that we live in a consumer, self-centered culture. Church is not about catering to my preferences. "We're not putting a coin inside the proverbial jukebox," he said. Our responsibility reaches our region and our five-mile radius, and it includes everything God has given: time, talent, and finances.

What if your time is the thing you hold back?

The question cuts both ways. Some people tithe but say they are too busy to serve. Every Christian can ask, "God, what am I not yielding to you here?"

Think of the widow who gave two small coins (Mark 12:41 to 44), or the churches of Macedonia next to the wealthier church in Corinth.

In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

2 Corinthians 8:2

"It's not about when we have more," the host said. "It's about what we're doing with what we have right now."

Common questions

Is it wrong to let people know what you give?

Not in itself. The early church in Acts shared openly, and Hebrews 10:24 calls believers to spur one another on. Matthew 6:1 warns against giving in order to be seen. The difference is the heart behind it.

Is generosity only about money?

No. Generosity includes your time, your talent, and your treasure. Some people serve gladly but hold back financially, and others give but say they are too busy to serve.

What if I don't have much to give?

The Macedonian churches gave generously out of extreme poverty (2 Corinthians 8:2), and Jesus honored a widow's two small coins. Generosity is about what you do with what you have right now.

Read the blog postGratitude Engages Generosity: What 2 Corinthians 9 Teaches About Thankful GivingThe more grateful you are to God, the more generous you can be. Pastor Marty Sloan shows from 2 Corinthians 9 how thankful hearts become open hands, and how giving becomes worship.Read the post