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45 Bible Verses About Giving From The Heart
Modified: January 9, 2024
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Bible verses about giving encourages us to be generous. Get to know the association of faith to giving & learn how, when & why we should give
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One famous saying states that the very foundation of the world is giving. And the Bible proves this to be extremely right. The New Testament will not be possible if not for God’s love, grace, and generosity towards us. Because He cares for us, He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, so that we may be saved. This proves how the deed of giving is an important part of the Christian faith. Jesus’ sacrifice is not just what started Christianity, it is the foundation of it. We have listed below the Bible verses about giving that will inspire us to give.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. – John 3:16
What Does The Bible Say About Generosity?
- Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
- Proverbs 21:13 Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
The Bible does not just teach us things of faith. It also emphasizes human virtues such as generosity. Giving help, especially to people who need it the most, is not only a humanitarian deed. It is also a practice that every Christian should consider essential. Jesus himself gave us his own life for our salvation. Being generous makes us the mirror that reflects the love of God. We should always do things that please and glorify our Father in Heaven.
Being generous does not mean that we should give a lot. It simply means that we are always ready to share what we have with people who need it more than we do. For example, the water in someone’s bottle is just enough to last for the day and they won’t get another until the day is through. However, they see someone feeling ill because of thirst. Would they prioritize their future need for water or help the person struggling from thirst at the moment? Generosity does not mean to give without thinking. It just means that we should never deny help when we have the capacity to do so.
Read more: 45 Top Best Bible Verses About Anger
What are the Benefits of Giving?
- Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- Matthew 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
The quotation that it is better to give than to receive has been passed through generations even without fully understanding what it means. It is natural to feel delightful when we receive something, may it a simple compliment or an expensive gift. We feel good at the thought of receiving something positive. That is why giving is not an easy feat. It requires us to lose something and transfer it to the possession of the person we are giving it to. But are we really losing something? The Bible tells us it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Instead of losing, we gain something that can not be easily acquired. Something much more than what we gave away. And it is the treasure in heaven. Lending our hand to others, helps us gain treasures in heaven which can not be broken nor stolen. Keeping material things to ourselves might make us temporarily happy, but storing treasures in heaven buys us eternity.
Bible Verses About the Rewards of Giving
We reap what we sow. And God knows everything that we sow, including those we choose to keep a secret. Giving in secret, as per God’s command, is never in vain. The deeds that we do out of faith and goodwill are all known to God. And its rewards are beyond what we imagine it to be.
- Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
- Proverbs 22:9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
- Deuteronomy 15:10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.
- 1 Timothy 6:17-19 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
- Ephesians 4:28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.
- Luke 14:12-14 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
What Does God Say About Helping Others?
- Matthew 25:40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
- Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to do it.
“To love another person is to see the face of God”, as quoted by the famous author Victor Hugo. As Christians, our every decision should be because of the love of God and the grace that He showed us. Every good deed that we do for our fellow humans. Helping those in need makes us the mirror that will reflect the love of God so it can shine for others as well.
In the Bible, helping others when we have the capacity to do so is a must. The Bible emphasizes compassion to our fellow human beings just as God shows us His love for us every single day. Having the capacity to help our needy neighbors is because God loves us. We should return the favor by being God’s instrument to love others as well.
Bible Verses About the Wisdom of Giving
Giving is not a practice that everyone can master. It takes a more than just a kind heart to be generous. Generosity, together with compassion and faith in God makes our deeds of giving a pleasing sacrifice to God. The action of giving is a spiritual gift, a gift of grace, and service in the church. The wisdom to give willingly shows our spiritual maturity. Giving wisely allows Christians the discipline of doing what Christ commands and models as life qualities. These Bible verses about generosity will help us understand the wisdom of giving.
- Proverbs 29:7 A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
- Deuteronomy 15:11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
- 2 Corinthians 9:13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others
- Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
- Proverbs 11:24-25 One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
- James 2:14-17 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
- Proverbs 22:22-23 Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.
What Are the Principles of giving?
Generosity should not be merely for the sake of praises from others, nor for the sake of compliance alone. Generosity earns us our treasures in Heaven. But for it to be “credited”, the Bible speaks of the principles that make our giving pleasing to the eyes of the Lord. Below, we listed the principles of giving that the Bible mentioned.
1. Give secretly
- Matthew 6:1-4 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Hypocrites do the same things whether during ancient times or present-day; they do things just to gain affirmation from the people around them. The Bible commands that if we were to give, we should do so secretly. We can see how it should be discreet with the usage of the metaphor of the left and right hand. Unlike the people who give for the sake of worldly affirmations, people who give secretly gains the favor of Our Father in heaven who grants rewards greater than what the world can give.
2. Give with joy
- 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
The verse above commanded us to give. But giving just to comply without the heart for it does not please God. To become a cheerful giver, we should let ourselves understand why we are doing it. Our hearts must be full of love that it will bear compassion and care for fellow human beings. Giving happily and willingly will make our hearts feel delightful that will trigger it to do more.
3. You receive as much as you give
- Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Our Father in heaven is a God of justice. He sees things that we do in secret and even our intentions in doing things. That said, we should give without measuring how much we like or dislike a person. Our measure in giving should solely be because somebody needs it. We should not refuse to help someone because they sinned against us. Because in this manner, our previous sins will measure us as well. No matter the character of a person, if they need help it is our duty to help. Whatever wrong they did, let God do the judgment.
4. It is the thought that counts
- Mark 12:41-44 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
The verse above tells the famous story of how a widow pleased God through her actions of giving. Though she gave less than what the rich gave, Jesus said she had given more. Why? Because despite the lack of wealth, she still intended to offer all of what little money she had to God. Though the rich gave a lot, they offered a partial amount of their riches without much care. The verse should not be interpreted as the poor being more favored than the rich. Instead, the verse teaches us that we should consider increasing our giving. Be it our money, time, or talents, we should contemplate on giving beyond the point of convenience and calculation.
Bible Verses About Giving
A genuine love manifests itself through actions. And we know love because God is love. The kind of love that God bestows in us should reflect through genuinely loving others as well. By showing compassion through giving, we glorify God.
- 1 John 3:17-18 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
- Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
- Matthew 5:42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
- Luke 12:33-34 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
- Matthew 6:3-4 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
- Proverbs 14:21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
- Proverbs 21:26 All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back
- 2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Bible Verses about Giving to the Poor
The Bible declared an impregnable truth: there isn’t a place or time where no one is poor. In every country, there will always be poor people who will need our help. Helping our poor neighbors in times of need might save them just for a day or two. But our act of kindness and compassion will never be forgotten by God. The Bible verses below remind us why we should extend help to the poor.
- Deuteronomy 15:7-11 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
- Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
- Luke 3:11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
- Deuteronomy 15:7-8 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.
Is There A Punishment For Those Who Do Not Give?
The Bible warns about the consequences of turning a blind eye or refusing to lend a hand when somebody needs it. Sometimes, we are willing to help. But it is as long as we like the person. The person’s capacity to help back is also a big factor for many. Our reason to help others should not be because they can return the favor to us. Rather, we should give without expecting anything in return. We give because that’s what our conscience dictates us.
The fruits of our deed will be rightly granted by God when the time is due.
- Psalm 41:1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
- 1 Timothy 6:17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
- Proverbs 19:17 “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.
- 1 John 3:17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
- Proverbs 28:27 Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
- Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.