Through growing up in church, I was exposed to all sorts of giving, especially giving of finances. Then also saw many reasons for giving as well. I am sure you have seen it as well and there may be reasons you are positive about regarding giving and then also things that have put you off of the idea.

I have seen God do many supernatural things, from healing the sick, angels showing up, visions, supernatural information from God, divine happenings with people. But regarding provision, I had a hard time because of teaching I listened to while growing up, this cause me to believe things about God that were not true. So I would like to present to you the heart to have provision from God be normal to you. There are many verses that talk about God providing, even has a name Jehova-Jireh – The Lord Provides.

Let’s use some of the most well known scriptures regarding provision.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?Mat 6:25-26

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.Mat 6:31-33

When it comes to giving, I don’t want to get into the laws or how you should give, but rather in what you should expect. It is normal for God to want to give to His children and as this scripture(mat 6:26) says that we are of so much more value than birds. Know that the Lord values you and has even given His Son to have you close, so there would be not reason for Him not to want to provide. Then know that when it comes to providing, it is not just something God does, but it is Who He is, it is His nature. You are allowed to trust Him. The specific thing I battled with was wanting to stay humble, thinking I would be arrogant and entitled to expect provision and somehow I would be taking something from someone else so that I could receive. But as is all condemning thoughts and lies, usually based only on ‘self’ and what it can have. I was not thinking of Who God is to the people that He was sending to give to me, He is Provider for them and is taking care of them as well! As much as God wants to give to me, He also loves providing for them! This way more people receive more to give and my giving also increases.

So it is amazing, God still sends ravens to feed people and make it rain manna as He did in the old testament, now it is is just via people since we are not just cared for, but part of His kingdom work on the earth. Never let anyone condemn you regarding giving and receiving, rather trust Him to take care of you as He sends believers and unbelievers to bring what you need. God will make sure they have what they need too.

The condition and heart to have, is seeking His ability, not yours. It’s good to work and get a salary, I don’t mean we shouldn’t work, I mean the belief that you have to work(or give) to impress God so that you can receive is wrong. Mat 6:33 states that in seeking His kingdom, His righteousness we receive all things. From a heart that believes Him for who He is doesn’t mind giving or receiving because we are secure in Who He is for us.

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.Matthew 7:1-6

Most of us have read these verse or heard a message about them somewhere. I would like for us to take another look at it, because I believe God is bringing a different message than what we might have learned before.

I don’t think He is just saying we shouldn’t judge, because it says “that you be not judged”. It is because He is not just telling us things to do or not to do, but rather gain a perspective. The perspective we have had before where we look at people while disqualifying them is a reflection of ourselves and how we disqualify ourselves. Therefore He says that the same measure we use gets measured back to us.

Too many a times have we thought this measuring and judgement back on us is God, but I believe it is our own measuring and judgement. We cannot help others when we ourselves don’t walk in what God has for us. Note that He says to help and remove the speck in our brothers eye. He does not say we become experts at pointing to specks in eyes, as if we get really good and pointing to each other’s faults. But rather we help each other gain clear perspective since it speaks of the eye. Our help should bring healing as well to those around us(since it hurts to have something in your eye), but once again this requires us to get our own perspective clear first. This is different than how I heard this before where you need to get your life in order and behave perfectly before you judge other people.

He goes on to say that we are hypocrites if we have the plank in our own eye while trying to look and help, because we cannot see clear to help another. What freedom am I giving someone if I don’t believe it could be had? It’s Hypocritical. Lastly He says to not give what is Holy and pearls to those who cannot receive it. These verses are together because a healthy perspective is not always accepted when given, some people are not willing or not yet willing at least to get help and healed. This is important for you as a believer to notice, to know when someone has a willing heart or not, because it does more damage than good when we give what is costly to those that have not value for it.

So to bring this together, what is a healthy(speckless or plankless) perspective? In Christ you are forgiven, justified, in right relationship with God the Father, healed and are loved completely. That is a good start. If you can accept that, then you can live it out. If you live it out, you will want the same for others.

When we want the same for others that Christ has done for us, then our perspective is clear and redemptive as the Lords’ is over us.