Giving & Organization
Giving & Organization
Romans 12:8 One who gives, with sincerity; one who leads, with diligence; one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
The Gift of Giving
The giver is to give with simplicity. It is the idea of sincere, heartfelt giving that is untainted by ulterior motive. The Christian who gives with liberality gives of himself, not for himself. He does not give for thanks or recognition, but for the sake of those receiving his help, and for the glory of the Lord.
The disciple Matthew is the example of the giver. He speaks more of the issue of money than any other. This gift does require wealth, but an attitude you have about what you have.
Characteristics of the Giver—They:
1. Are able to see resources that others overlook,
2. Get involved in the work, and do not just give money.
3. Want to make sure God is involved where they give.
4. Take pride in what they give; it is usually of high quality.
5. Give as God impresses the need upon them.
6. Give secretly, and aren’t looking for a pat on the back.
7. Don’t like pressure appeals for money
8. Are concerned about what they give, because they know money easily corrupts.
9. Are sensitive to their responsibility to give God His part.
10. They avoid giving in a way that leads to abuse of the gift
11. They are thrifty in buying, and practice simple principles
12. They give to motivate others to give.
The Giver can be misunderstood because:
They are extremely careful about how they handle money.
Their use of money appears they want to control things.
No response to pressure appeals portrays them as selfish.
Their frugality can appear selfish or greedy to others.
In the Spirit & Flesh
In the spirit, more thrifty; in the flesh, extravagant
In the spirit, very resourceful; in the flesh wasteful
In the spirit, content; in the flesh unsatisfied
In the spirit, punctual with money; in the flesh, always late
In the spirit, cautious; in the flesh, rash
The Gift of Organization
Romans 12:8 He that rules, with diligence
Rule here has the basic meaning of “standing before others” and, therefore it is the idea of leadership. With diligence is simply an eager desire to accomplish some end.
Nehemiah is a perfect example of the organizer. No project is ever completed correctly and quickly involving several people, without some clear organization.
Characteristics of the Organizer—They:
1. See the big picture and visualize the results.
2. Can break down major, big goals into small tasks.
3. Are motivated to organize their responsibility.
4. Can see what resources are needed.
5. Are reluctant to begin a project without resources.
6. Understand what they can delegate and what they can’t
7. Remove themselves from distractions.
8. Are willing to endure harsh reactions from others.
9. Are loyal, and require loyal people to work for them.
10. Assume responsibility if there is no present leader.
11. Desire to complete the task as soon as possible.
The Organizer is misunderstood because:
Their ability to delegate jobs can make them appear lazy
They can appear insensitive, with no response to reactions
They may neglect explaining tasks, making people feel used
It can appear the project is more important than people
Can seem uncaring of individuals, to complete tasks quickly
Of perceived favoritism, as they single out people for the task
In the Spirit & Flesh
In spirit, orderly; in the flesh, disorganized
In the spirit, they initiate; in the flesh, apathetic
In the spirit, responsible; in the flesh, unreliable
In the spirit, humble,; in the flesh, prideful and seek credit
In the spirit, determined; in the flesh, slow and passive
In the spirit, loyal; in the flesh, no loyalty
These two gifts, giving and organization, when exercised in the church, provide both the assets for the project and the organization necessary to accomplish the task as economically, quickly, and thoroughly as possible.
Christians who give with liberality gives of themselves, not for themselves. Their giving is not for thanks or recognition, it is for the person or project, but ultimately for the glory of the Lord.
Christian organizers/administrators take their responsibility seriously, and lead with diligence. Leadership in the contemporary world is often seen as the fruit of ambition, persistence, and good fortune. However, Matthew 8:9, shows that biblical leadership is essentially a service carried out for the benefit of others, and mainly for the glory of God.
As we all examine the spiritual gifts God has given us and others, let’s commit to using our gifts to the fullest. May we better understand and encourage others also, to do the same—all for the glory of God.