Giving is one of the most touchy subjects in the church. I find it one of the hardest things to teach on. I know I shouldn’t, but I do. Folks who don’t understand giving usually think the preacher is begging and always talking about money. People who don’t understand Biblical giving often have a very hard time doing. Some folks are happy enough to let everyone else pay the bills and support missionaries and give to the poor. It can be like pulling teeth to get some folks to give.
That’s what makes this story challenging. When it came time to build the Tabernacle it was clear that the costs would be huge. It was going to take precious metals and jewellery and costly woods. The resources were not going to magically appear.
So the people gave. They gave their resources and they gave their time to build the Tabernacle. But the challenging thing is that they gave out of their own free will. They had willing hearts and their willing hearts led to willing hands.
God’s people today should never have to be begged and cajoled and scared into giving. If we would stop and thing about what God did for us we would have no issue with giving. Think about how we would give if we really according to how God has blessed us. If we contemplate the gift of salvation we would have no problem with free will giving and free will working. In fact we would fit the New Testament standard where God’s love a cheerful giver.
Do we give freely and cheerfully to do God’s work? These folks did it without knowing the blessing of salvation – what a challenge for us today.
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