How You Give Reveals Your Heart

by Rick Warren — October 22, 2019

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done” (Philippians 3:7 NLT).

Every time you give, you reveal what matters to you. Tell me how you spend your money and your time, and I’ll tell you what matters most to you. Your schedule might reveal that your children are what matter most to you. Your spending might reveal that what matters most to you is your hobby.

Life is not about things. It’s about learning how to love. If at the end of your life you’ve acquired a giant pile of things but you’re estranged from your family, you’ve missed the point!

When you are generous with your time, money, effort, and energy, you’re saying that God and people are what matter most. To put it another way, what matters most is love.

In Philippians 3:7, Paul tells us, “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done” (NLT).

How do you break the grip of materialism? There’s only one way. The antidote for getting is giving. So every time you’re generous and give to others or to God, then you are actually breaking the hold of materialism in your life.

“We are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives” (Philippians 3:20 NLT). Your purpose is not to live for here and now. You’re storing up for eternity! You’re not building a pile on this side of eternity. You’re building into people and relationships that will matter on the other side of eternity. You’re living in light of heaven.

Talk It Over

  • If someone looked at your schedule, what would they say is most important to you, and why?
  • If someone looked at where or to whom you give your money, what would they say is most important to you, and why?
  • How might your giving habits change if each time you gave, you asked yourself, “What is my motivation?”

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.