Helping Others in Need Through Giving

Helping Others in Need Through Giving

James 1.27

27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Luke 12.33-34

“33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

As I watched the devastation in Haiti, I was pleased by the outreach of the Church. It is during these times of great need that the world sees just how much Christ gives. He gives through us, beloved. Our giving is reflective of Him. If we give selflessly, God will be seen by the world as generous and merciful. But if we do not give, the world will see a bitter and selfish God who cares nothing for the needs and salvation of His people.

That is why it is so important that we help others in need through giving. As Christians, we are commanded by our Lord to give. He tells us to “sell [our] possessions and give to the poor.” We are also to “look after orphans and widows in their distress.” These sorts of giving, the Scripture teaches us, is “religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless.” Sadly, however, we are not giving enough. In a time when the Church has more money, more resources, and more access to those in need, we are giving less than we are capable.

I want us to be careful here, because the natural response to this argument is, “I don’t have any money to give.” That is precisely the thing we must not say. Notice that we can give in many ways. The Christians in Haiti and in Africa and all over the world are giving through ministering and through their time and effort in various volunteer work. Christians here are giving through fasting and prayer, with money and resources such as canned goods, Bibles, and other necessities. And yes, many are making monetary contributions. But the focus is the same—we are obeying our Lord by giving out of our hearts and, as Pastor David Platt puts it, “not out of our guilt. “ 2 Corinthians 9.7 tells us that “each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” I encourage you to read 2 Corinthians 9, for the whole chapter deals with the giving of the Church at Corinth and the impact that has on the Church and the world. The bottom line is that regardless of how the Lord tells us to give, whatever the Holy Spirit lays on our hearts, we should give out of love and compassion. We should give out of the love with which Christ first loved us. 1 John 4.11 says this: “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

I hope you are giving out of love to others. Whether they are strangers or friends, give to the needy in some way. Whether it be our prayers, money and possessions, donations, missionary work, or anything else, let us show the world the great and merciful love of Christ. Let us follow Jesus’ command; let us give! Amen.

With love in Christ,



Austin Aldrich