It is common knowledge that our churches preach giving offerings or sowing of seeds in church as the way to prosperity. A few questions come to mind. Is there anyone who has really prospered by giving offerings in church? If yes, are we sure that the person has not done other things besides giving the offering? Are there not people who have not given offering in church and yet prospered by the same measure or even more than those who give in church? It does often seem that only pastors and churches get rich following this kind of giving. In any case, what is undeniable is that becoming rich through giving offering in church is not the common experience of all...
Many people have given offerings, tithes and sacrifices over the years in church and yet died poor. Anyone could say that they didn’t give properly or that their faith was not strong enough. Whatever the reason, it will only go to prove that wanting to get rich is this way is not guaranteed. Your faith might not be strong enough. The failure rate is too high. How many would be willing to do a business with a ninety per cent or more chance of failure. If we have not gotten rich by giving offerings after all these years, could it be because we have not been giving properly or in faith or might it be that that is not the way to wealth. Note, this is not to say that giving offering in church is wrong but that hoping to get rich by so doing needs to be properly examined.
The scripture often quoted to support the teaching that giving offering is the way to wealth is Luke 6.38:
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Incidentally, this scripture is not talking about giving offerings or even giving to God. Here, the Lord Jesus is teaching interpersonal relationships as could be readily seen if one reads the context properly. The giving here is not offering to God but giving to people. It refers to how you treat people. How you treat people is an investment you are making in their lives and it will be duly rewarded. Notice that is not God that gives this reward but the people.
The giving that makes you rich is the investment you make in the lives of people. If you develop your capacity to be a blessing to humanity, then humanity will reciprocate by making sure you become rich and wealthy. Unlike the case of giving offerings where so many give and yet we find it hard to point out who have been blessed by that giving, everyone who have developed the capacity to be a blessing to humanity has been duly rewarded. This is true liberality. The kind that makes fat. According to Proverbs 11.25, 26:
The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
Many people think of liberality as the giving away of free things. That is not how the above scripture sees it. The Bible is clear that the liberal sow sells his corn. Corn here refers to a product that meets human need. Developing such a product and making it available to humanity is true liberality. Eventually, humanity will respond by paying the person back with so much riches. This is how the Bill Gates, the Dangotes and other wealthy people of this world give and get rich. They develop a product or products that meet human needs and make it available to all and eventually get paid handsomely. It does seem that giving in this way is a more realistic way to wealth than giving of offerings in church.
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