ACT OF GIVING 9 Chapter Eight: The Myths About Giving

Myth 1: We can't believe anyone who asks us for money, they're all fakes.

Whether they are fakes or not, it should not be a problem to you. If truly they are fakes, they are automatically placing a curse upon themselves which you should not worry about. A bad egg does not make all the eggs bad. The fake ones should not stop you from giving to the ones that are truly in need.

"Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathered by labor shall increase." - Prov.13:11

Myth 2: If you give, your money will finish and you will be poor.

This is the belief of greedy and selfish people. When you give, you are blessed more and your money cannot finish and you will never be poor because G.o.d will continue to supply your needs. Your resources will be multiplied and you will never lack.

"And G.o.d is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work." - II Cor.9:8

Myth 3: If you give, people can use what you gave against you.

If people want to use what you gave them against you, it will not work, because all things work together for good for those that love G.o.d and are called according to his purpose(Rom. 8:28). If you are for G.o.d and you are doing what he commanded you to do, you don't have to fear what people will do to you because G.o.d will not permit anything to work against you.

"But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things which we command." - II Thess.3:3–4

Myth 4: Most people aren't rich enough to give the sort of gift that would make a difference.

Your giving may not have earthly recognition or significance but will surely have heavenly recognition if done in the right way and for the right reason. You don't have to be very rich before you can give, you can start from the little you have, and G.o.d will bless you more in order to be able to give more.
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"He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much." - Luke 16:10

Myth 5: Everybody doesn't want to give; they want to keep their money to themselves.

This is not generally true; not all people want to keep their money and not give, besides whether people want to give or not should not stop you from giving when you have to. Learn to be self-convinced of the right thing to do at all time.

"He who closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard." - Prov.21:13

Myth 6: If we urge people to give they will get angry because finances are a sensitive subject.

Emotion is inevitable to man; it is the internal state of a man. Because people react or get angry about finances should not stop you from telling them what they ought to know or do. It is only a man who does not have the heart to give that will get angry when asked to give.

Myth 7: When the economy is down we can't expect people to give.

Giving does not have anything to do with the economic state. You can give even when the economy is down, because giving is an expression of the blessing of G.o.d upon the life of a man. Giving is a personal decision and conviction, it is not what you expect from people or impose on people. When the economy is down you need to trust G.o.d in your finances by Giving.

"He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch." - Prov.11:28

Myth 8: The problem is so large; my giving can make no real difference.

Give as G.o.d blesses you. Give your best and don't be bothered how large the problem is. Your giving may appear with no real difference before men but will definitely be recognized by G.o.d if done for the right motive. Not all problems can be completely solved at once, some will take time and some will require more than one solution or effort, or G.o.d's intervention. Just do your best and leave the rest for G.o.d.

Myth 9: Charity begins at home; we should solve our own problems first.

It is very important to solve your own problems so that you can solve others problems. It is true you need to develop yourself to be a blessing to people because you can't give what you don't have, but in everything you do, you are encouraged to have the mind of Christ. If the other person need is more urgent and important than yours, you can meet their needs first.

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any incentive of love, any partic.i.p.ation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." - Phil.2:1-4

Myth 10: You cannot give to someone who has more than you.

You can give to anybody, whether the person has more than you or not. You can give someone a gift or present to appreciate such person and you can also give to honour someone or to show grat.i.tude for a favour done for you; which you can do regardless of what the person have. Queen Sheba brought gift to gain Solomon's attention and gain access to him.

"And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart." - 1 Kings 10: 2

Myth 11: If you give to someone the person will become richer than you.

This is a great lie or deception. As long as you continue to give G.o.d will always continue to take you higher in your finance because there are lots of blessings attached to giving. There is no amount you will give to someone that will make the person richer than you.

"A man who is kind benefits himself, but a cruel man hurts himself." - Prov.11:17

Myth 12: If you give too much you won't have enough for yourself.

No giving is too much because every giving you do eventually come back to you in multiple folds. No matter how much you give you will always have enough for yourself because givers never lack. G.o.d will continue to replenish your source of income.

"The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." - Prov. 11:25

Myth 13: You can only give when you have more than enough.

You don't necessarily have to wait until you have more than enough before you can give. You can give at any time whether not enough, enough or more than enough. If you can't give when you don't have more than enough you will still not be able to give if you have it.

"He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?" - Luke 16:10–11

Myth 14: If you give to someone it will make the person lazy to work for money.

Giving does not make the person you gave to be lazy instead it helps the person. A lazy man will continue to be lazy whether you give to him or not. It is not your giving that makes a man lazy, it is his personal decision, and G.o.d does not bless a lazy man. If a person decides to be lazy, your giving can not help such person because he knows what to do to leave his present situation but he has chosen to remain there.

"Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and an idle soul shall suffer hunger." - Prov.19:15

Myth 15: If you give too much it will make people to be dependent on you.

It is true that "Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friends."(Prov.19:4) and "Many seek the favour of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts."(Prov.19:6) But it should not stop you from giving because giving is an expression of the blessing of G.o.d upon a man. The more you give, the more you increase in wealth.

Myth 16: We are to give only to our members.

Some people feel little or no sympathy for those outside their fold or group. When it is suggested that help be granted to some unfortunate human and the question is instantly asked, "Is he our member?" or "Is he worthy of our a.s.sistance?" This att.i.tude is wrong and should not be found among those who call themselves people of G.o.d. If we are to help and give to those you consider worthy, who then can qualify? Everyone deserves to be helped whether they from your kin, group, tribe, religion or not.

Myth 17: I can't give to someone I don't know.

You don't have to know someone before you give to them. You are to give to anyone who needs your help whether you know them personally or not, because we are G.o.d's people and we have to help one another. Anything you do for anyone no matter who they are or where they come from you do to G.o.d. Do unto people as you will like them to do unto you.

"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men." - Col.3:23

So many people have used these myths as an excuse not to give. These myths weaken someone's mentality and prevent someone from giving. They are wrong beliefs that should be ignored anytime you hear them. Do not allow people to discourage you with these myths to prevent you from giving. This negative perception brings fear and bound you from giving freely and cheerfully. They are great lies from the devil to prevent you from giving and receiving the rewards and blessings attached to it. Correct anyone with these wrong beliefs by proving to them how G.o.d has blessed you through giving. The next chapter explains the rewards for giving.