Gods Hand in Charitable Giving
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change (James 1:16-17).
Last year Americans donated $295 billion to charity according to a report released in June 1.7 percent of the national GDP. Of that amount $96.8 billion was given to religious organizations. That made U.S. citizens the most generous people on earth, both in terms of dollar amounts and percentage of GDP. Of Americans earning less than $100,000 annually, 65 percent gave to charity.
It is a blessing to live in a country that God has richly endowed with wealth and generous givers. Cynics will say that Americans give out of their overabundance or to gain a tax benefit. Maybe it is true in some cases. Among our donors, however, I hear a different story. I meet men and women who desire to see the gospel of Christ preached around the world. Their prayers and donations are good and perfect gifts from God. It is God, after all, who has blessed the nation. It is God who has blessed our hearts individually, and God who moves in our hearts to give.
Reflecting on this study causes my faith in Gods provision to increase. Hudson Taylor said that Gods work done in Gods way will never lack Gods supply. We are quick to agree with him on this point. Americans gave $96.8 billion to religious organizations last year. Our total for the year was less than 3 one-hundredths of 1 percent of the overall amount!
It is a small thing for God to direct a little more of the percentage our way if he pleases. It is also true that God could direct a little more away from the Prayer League, if that were to please him. There is plenty of giving in our country. The wise thing for us to do is to concentrate on serving and glorifying God and to let him, the Sovereign Almighty, concern himself with when and where he directs the many he moves to give.