You Can’t Out-Give God by Leah Wacek

by Rachael Adams | Feb 10, 2022 | The Love Offering Guest Blog Series

Ten years ago, our pastor said these words: “You can’t out-give God.” After some conversation, my husband and I decided to test the theory.

It started with giving 10% of our paycheck. We saw the Biblical call to tithing and recognized the privilege of being able to look back over thousands of years and untold amounts of people across the globe giving their first and best to the Lord. Deciding that they had already proven the hypothesis, we stepped in. We were just starting our marriage and careers. We had small incomes and big loans. When we added up what we owed and what was coming in, there was no extra. The only way to do this was to give the 10% upfront and believe for the rest. When payday came, we wrote our first check to the Church. Knowing that we were giving and spending more than our salaries could cover was unsettling at best, but we decided that if God was who He says He is, He would prove Himself up to the task. Somehow, we paid all our bills that month. We recalculated, wondering if we had somehow gotten the basic math wrong. It didn’t seem to make sense, but we had known Jesus long enough to realize that He often operates outside human logic.

The next month, we did it again. We tried not to think of all the things we could do with that sizable amount. We watched our friends and neighbors buy and do things that we envied. We threw internal tantrums and then drug ourselves to the cross, reminding each other that Jesus is our Treasure. Miraculously, we came to the end of the month with enough to cover all our bills. The next month, we again started with giving and ended with a bit MORE than enough. This cycle has wound its way through an entire decade of our lives. Our generosity has grown. Our giving has expanded. We’ve never once come up short.

Eventually, a thought occurred to us: money is not our only resource. The Spirit led us to consider a tithe of our time. Every year since we’ve set aside 36 days to be used for the Kingdom. As two teachers with four kids, we spend most days wishing for just a few more hours to get it all done, but God has proven Himself faithful to take our little and make it much. Each year, His upside-down mathematics return to us abundantly more than our original sacrifice.

Psalm 112, beginning in verse 5 says:

It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;

who conducts his affairs with justice.

For the righteous will never be moved;

he will be remembered forever.

He is not afraid of bad news;

his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

His heart is steady;] he will not be afraid,

until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever;

his horn is exalted in honor. ESV

Living generously results in:

*never being shaken

*not living in dread

*being steady and strong

*the ability to calmly face foes

*enduring honor

Generosity is an antidote to the overwhelming anxiety of the world. When we give sacrificially, we trust that God can provide. Giving in big, sacrificial and small, mundane ways has become the great adventure of our lives. It’s astonishing to see our gifts expand into jaw-dropping miracles in the hands of our capable, loving God. We will never stop. When the Spirit challenges us to give in wild, sacrificial ways, it is a genuine thrill that builds instead of worry or dread. God has proven himself so very faithful and it has been our great JOY to know Him in this way.

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38 ESV

About the Author:

My family and I practice radical generosity by giving away 10% of our dollars and days. We love sharing the journey of intentionally setting aside 36 days each year to invest in something other than ourselves and encourage others to join in the practice of sharing treasure, talents, and time.