Today you will probably hear a lot about giving and charity because today is Giving Tuesday.
It’s a relatively recent holiday, starting in 2012 as a global movement to incorporate a day of giving into our yearly calendar. Here, in the USA, the timing of Giving Tuesday feels particularly apt. The day is sandwiched between two major holidays: Thanksgiving (a day to give thanks for all the blessings in our lives) and Christmas (a day to commemorate the greatest Blessing of all: the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ).
So let’s quickly dive into the Bible to see what it has to say to us about the act of giving.
Giving Is An Act Of Stewardship
A central belief of Christianity is that every good thing in our lives is a gift from God. This includes the extra money in our bank accounts. There are wonderful things that could be done to help others with that money, but the first step is to acknowledge that because the money came from God, it belongs to God. And because it belongs to God, it is important to think carefully about how best to use it for His purposes.
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Luke 16:10-13
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Acts 20:35
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms
1 Peter 4:8-10
Giving Is An Act Of Worship
Worship is not just about showing up in church on Sunday mornings and singing some hymns. Worship is an attitude (Romans 12:1-2). Worship is a way of life. Worship is about how we love Jesus and how we love others.
Whatever you do (including the act of giving) is absolutely an act of worship if it is done in the name of Jesus Christ.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:17
Giving Is The Fulfilment Of The Law
Giving to those in need is an act of service, but it is also an act of love. It is declaring that the people you choose to give your money and time to are worthy of God’s blessings. It is a declaration that they are beloved by God. In choosing to give to those who need it most, you are choosing to love.
And love, as Paul once taught us, is the fulfillment of the Law (Romans 13:8
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:12-13
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:16-18
Mission Partners For Christ Is In The Business of Changing Lives
Thanks to the generous donations of supporters, like you, Mission Partners For Christ has managed to do amazing things for people around the world. Here are just a few examples of what your giving has accomplished within the last year:
- The people of Takon Benin now have clean drinking water accessible to them locally. Previously, they had to walk up to 25km to find drinking water.
- All four villages we served in Benin in November 2021 have toilets, ensuring they no longer need to go in the bush. As a result, their health has improved. The previous mortality rate was sitting at 35%. Today, it has lowered to 28%.
- We were able to bless a pastor, a man in his 60s, with a motorbike. He previously walked 20km daily (over 2 hours each way). He never expected to own a motorbike. About his gift, he said, “God answered me! It is like receiving painkillers!” He can add more prayer group meetings to his schedule because he has more time and transportation.
- We were able to gift another pastor with a motorbike. The motorbike helped him start five new churches. Through these gatherings in the remote villages, 40 were recently baptized.
Here are just a few pictures that capture the work we’ve been able to do, or enabled to happen, thanks to your generous donations:
Here’s How You Can Help Today
Today, we are launching a fundraiser on Facebook for Giving Tuesday. 100% of the donations raised through this fundraiser go to the mission work; none of your contributions will go to our administrative cost, so you can rest assured that all of your money will go directly towards the work done in the mission field.
What’s more, your donations are tax-deductible!
Here is the link to the Facebook Fundraiser for Giving Tuesday.
You can also donate directly to Mission Partners For Christ here.
A Final Thought
To all those who make the generous choice to financially support Mission Partners For Christ, we want to take a moment to thank you. From the very bottom of our hearts, we appreciate the gifts you give so selflessly to support our work in medical missions.
It is not an exaggeration to say that lives are saved and changed for the better through the donations that you send; those who support our work financially are just as important as those who physically travel with us into the field.
Thank you, and may God bless you and keep you.
