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)

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.

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.