GIVING, MOTIVATION FOR

A missionary returned to his home city, where he announced a collection for foreign missions. A good friend said to him, “Very well, Andrew, seeing it is you, I’ll give five hundred dollars.”

“No,” said the missionary, “I cannot take the money since you give it, seeing it is me.” His friend saw the point and said, “You are right, Andrew. Here is a thousand dollars, seeing it is for the Lord Jesus.”554

A long time ago a very godly and generous businessman in London was asked for a donation for a charitable project. Very little was expected because the businessman had recently sustained a heavy loss from the wreck of some of his ships. To the amazement of the leaders of the charity, he gave about ten times as much as he was expected to give to the project.

When asked how he was able to give so much in light of his business difficulties the businessman replied, “It is quite true, I have sustained heavy loss by these vessels being wrecked, but that is the very reason why I give you so much; for I must make better use than ever of my stewardship lest it should be entirely taken from me.” (Adapted from George Muller of Bristol.)555

John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, wrote, “A man there was, and they called him mad; the more he gave, the more he had.”

Of course Bunyan was writing of the Christian. To the world, such a principle of giving is nonsense. Only to the Christian, who understands that true worth is also spiritual, does this make sense. Hence, in giving to God, the Christian looks for spiritual returns.556

“But our tokens of compliment and love are for the most part barbarous. Rings and other jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself. Thou must bleed for me. Therefore the poet brings his poem; the shepherd his lamb; the farmer his corn; the miner a gem; the sailor, coral and shells the painter his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing” (Ralph Waldo Emerson, from his essay Gifts).557

Charles Spurgeon, the great English preacher, was once invited by a wealthy man to come to preach in a certain country church, to help the membership raise funds to pay off a debt. The man told Spurgeon he was free to use his country house, his town house, or his seaside home. Spurgeon wrote back and said, “Sell one of the places and pay the debt yourself.”558