Giving presents a conundrum for many of us.

We can war between wanting to give and feeling like we don’t have anything to give. We can also war between wanting to receive and not wanting to benefit at someone else’s expense.

I think we have such a difficult time because on one hand, we don’t want to be perceived as needing help and on another, we want to ensure our own well-being.

Once, I was struggling with whether I should send a fundraising letter to one family in my church who I knew didn’t have a lot of extra funds. While discussing it with a friend, she said that I shouldn’t rob someone else of the chance of both being and receiving a blessing because I didn’t think that they could afford it.

In Scripture, giving consistently has blessings associated with it.

In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul encourages the church to give generously in everything they do. It’s not about accumulating a certain amount, but about giving out of love.

In verse 11, we are told that giving produces thanksgiving. I would argue this thanksgiving occurs both in the giver and the receiver. This verse also lets us know that God has blessed us that we may bless others by giving.