In Your Bible Read This Out Loud: Luke 8:3 

Memorise This Verse: 2 Corinthians 8:4 ‘They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints’.   

Afterwards Talk About This:  The many different ways and forms of being a giver. 

Something To Do Before Next Time:  Since the bible encourages us to practise hospitality (Romans 12:13), invite someone round for a meal. 

Written Diploma Work:  Write how the gift of giving can be used in conjunction with other spiritual gifts. 

Meditate Word By Word On This Verse:  Romans 12:13

Having established that whilst giving is the duty of all believers, there is the specific spiritual gift of giving – this section will consider how the gift of giving practically operates and some of the other spiritual gifts it can be used in conjunction with. Often, spiritual gifts can be used together for example, a Pastor could have a word of knowledge about another person needing to be healed of a sickness and then releasing the gift of healing into their lives. If your primary spiritual gift is the gift of giving you may well use it in conjunction with other spiritual gifts and you may well use it in a variety of creative ways – lets consider some of them. 

The gift of giving is mentioned in Romans 12:8 and in the same verse a further spiritual gift is mentioned – namely the gift of showing mercy, which can be often linked to the gift of giving. For example, you may hear of a desperate situation from the mission field – such as the need to build an orphanage to care for abandoned children. As a result the gift of showing mercy could well-up within you and you will have a strong desire to help these orphans. 

At this point the gift of giving can also be released and it will be your good pleasure and heart’s desire to send a large donation to help build the orphanage – so both the gifts of showing mercy and giving can be released at the same time and compliment each other. With so much harshness, bitterness and selfishness in the world today, releasing the gifts of showing mercy and giving is like releasing wave after wave of the love of God on the hurting wounds of men and women. 

A further gift that can be used in conjunction with the gift of giving is the gift of hospitality – it may well be a surprise to some people that hospitality is a spiritual gift and an even bigger surprise to found out that it is actually one of the gifts that God has given to them!. Romans chapter 12 lists spiritual gifts and in verse 13 it says ‘Share with God’s people who are in need. Practise hospitality’. 

Furthermore, 1 Peter 4:9-11 also speaks of spiritual gifts and verse 9 says, ‘Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling’ and Hebrews 13:2 says, ‘Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it’.  

Consequently, you could have the joy of opening your home and feeding many lonely people in the church who have no family of their own or who are students and have little money or foreigners who are new to your country. It has been the pleasure of the author to entertain people from as far away as Ethiopia, Japan, Korea, Russia and Liberia – by giving financially to buy a meal for them it has been possible to extend the love of God to them. Perhaps there are some people in your congregation who would love a good meal and fellowship with you? Why not seek after them and stir up the gift of hospitality.   

A further point about the gift of giving is that it is not just financial giving but it can be used in many different ways and Holy Spirit will doubtless call you to be creative and to give in different forms and in different ways. It would appear that this is referred to in the scriptures as ‘Ministering to the saints’ or ‘Washing the feet of the saints’ or ‘Serving the saints’ – as the scriptures below suggest. 

Consequently, the gift of giving can be expressed not just financially but in many different acts of generosity and good deeds and acts of kindness and physical gifts. As you seek to exercise this gift then surely there will be no shortage of opportunities to give to the people of God – surely it depends if you have eyes to see them. 

2 Corinthians 8:4 ‘They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints’

2 Corinthians 9:1 ‘There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints’

1 Timothy 5:10 ‘And is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality and washing the feet of the saints’ 

One of the extremely unique things about this gift of giving in the context of ministering/serving the saints can be seen in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus undoubtedly operated in spiritual gifts and he used prophecy, words of wisdom and knowledge, healing and miracles to input into people’s lives however, there are virtually no examples of Jesus himself being the recipient of someone else’s spiritual gift. 

The exception to this is the fact that Jesus was supported by Suzanna and Joanna and other women who released the gift of giving into his life for example, Luke 8:3 says, ‘These women were helping to support them out of their own means’. Consequently, if the Son of God needed to be the recipient of the gift of giving whilst he was on the earth, how much more do the poor, widow and orphan need to be recipients of our gift of giving? 

So we have seen that the gift of giving can be used in conjunction with other similar spiritual gifts such as hospitality and showing mercy moreover, it can take many different forms as well. For example, you can give money, or you can give food, you can give clothes, you can give gifts or really any sort of provision – the gift is surely not just limited to giving money. 

Most Christians look for reasons NOT to give their money and possessions to the work of the gospel – however if you have the gift of giving then surely this sort of attitude will be offensive to you! Go out and look for reasons and excuses to give, look for creative ways to give, give not just of your money but give in other ways as well. Seek out people and opportunities to give to make it your business to be as big a giver and blessing to those around you as you possibly can.

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