Gift of Giving (Romans 12:8)
This gift is the ability to give liberally to meet the needs of others and support God’s ministry with that which God has entrusted to you.
- This gift is not to be associated only with wealthy people. (II Corinthians 8:1,2)
- This gift is to be exercised with “liberality.” The word means “simplicity” or “sincerity” or “purity.” (Romans 12:8)
- The use of this gift will many times be used at considerable cost to the giver. (Luke 21:1-4)
- This gift should be used in secret as much as possible. (Matthew 6:2-4)
Biblical Examples:
- The purposes for which this gift is to be used are:
- To meet the needs of believers within your local assembly. (Ephesians 4:28; Galatians 6:10; I John 3:17)
- To meet the needs of believers in other assemblies. (Romans 15: 25,26)
- To meet the needs of those who labor in preaching and teaching. (I Timothy 5:17, 18; Philippians 4:10)
- To meet the needs of non-believers.
Possible Characteristics of this Gift:
- You have an inner sense of unrest when you see someone in financial or material need.
- You have a reluctance to let the person helped know where the help came from.
- You sense real joy when giving to meet someone’s need.
- You have the ability to make wise purchases and investments.
- You are burdened because you do not see others sacrificing financially to meet needs you see to be important.
- You want to be a part of the work or project to which you give.
- You do not need to be pressured to give.
- You avoid the spotlight that sometimes comes to those who give significant amounts of money.
- You willingly live a life of personal sacrifice so that others may have their basic needs met.
- You are sometimes taken advantage of by people in need.
- You tend to think about others before you think about yourself.
- You realize that all of what you have belongs to God and that you are only a steward of what you “possess.”
- When giving, you do not think about tax advantages before deciding to give to something.
Common Support Gifts:
Discernment, Mercy, Administration
Possible Ministries:
- Giving (Special Project Giving, Christmas Blessing Tree, Local Missions Volunteers, Short Term Missions Trip Team, BRIDGES Missionary Care Team)