Ananias and Sapphira

Peter said, "Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field? Before you sold it, it was all yours, and after you sold it, the money was yours to do with as you wished. So what got into you to pull a trick like this? You didn't lie to men but to God." Ananias, when he heard those words, fell down dead. Acts 5:3-5

The story of how Ananias and Sapphira literally drop dead after failing to be generous in their giving should give us all pause. It is a remarkable story but one which easily can be misunderstood. As a community the early Christians decided to pool all their resources together for the common good. It was agreed upon that if anyone sold property they would donate the full sale to the church. When Ananias and Sapphira sell their property they only shared a portion with the church and lied about the selling price. They are both individually confronted by Peter and drop dead presumably from guilt.

When it comes to financial giving, or any other part of our life, God wants our whole heart. It pains the Lord to see people give half heatedly. It pains the Lord to see people go through the motions in their prayer life, church attendance, or any other aspect of faith. God wants our whole lives to be a living sacrifice to the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. When we give only a little, or only enough to get by God is neither impressed nor fooled.

When you give you are not giving to the church you are giving to God. Fundamentally giving is not even about money, it is about your relationship with God. When we give generously and from the heart, we acknowledge that God is the source of every blessing and in faith trust that God will continue to bless us. When we hold back we reveal our hearts to be not fully converted.

Take a step forward in faith and obedience to the Lord and give with a full and generous heart!