October 2, 2026
I read about a wealthy miser who gave his daughter and son-in-law a gift of $5,000 as a wedding present. The money was sent by another daughter, a sister of the bride. When she returned after making the delivery, her dad asked, “Did they cry when you gave them the check?
“They cried for a minute or so,” replied the daughter.
“A minute or so,” snapped the father. “I cried for an hour after I wrote it.”
Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). However, many people, like the man above, miss the blessing that could be theirs by placing all their emphasis on accumulating and preserving, while neglecting distribution. As we dive into this topic of generosity, consider these “Three Ts of giving.”
Time- We live in a day when, in many circles, time has replaced money as currency. “Time is money,” as they say. Our calendars are full. We’re busier than ever -meeting ourselves coming and going.
When a child was asked, “How to spell love,” she answered, “T-I-M-E.” When the teacher said, “Susie, that’s not how you spell love,” the girl responded, “That’s how we spell it at our house.”
Plenty of people, though their bank accounts and cupboards are full, yearn for friendship and companionship. Consider who that might be in your life and share some of that precious resource--time.
Talents- Maybe you don’t have a lot of material resources to share, yet you possess abilities that could provide joy or be of assistance to those in need, such as music, cooking, crafts, painting, carpentry, mechanical skills, just to name a few.
In an era when more and more people would rather “see a sermon than hear one,” many churches are sending out work crews into the community. In addition to hands-on work getting done, the love of Christ is being displayed. I know a minister in Mississippi who is not only a preacher and writer, but an artist as well. He specializes in sketching people, a talent which has opened many doors for him over the years.
Treasures- As Christians, our first step in giving should be tithes and offerings to our local church. I remember as a child going into my parents’ bedroom on Sunday and seeing the check my dad had written to the church sitting on his dresser. I’m so grateful that he set this example. Like the Word says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test me now in this.’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows” (Malachi 3:10).
Of course, there are countless other para-church ministries worthy of our financial support. Add to that a plethora of options that may not specifically be kingdom-related. Just make sure to prayerfully consider and carefully research these organizations before supporting them.
Years ago, Chinese farmers chose to eat the big potatoes and use the small ones for seed. After a few years, they developed a new appreciation for the laws of life. You see, nature reduced their potato crop to the size of marbles.
A key life principle is: “You can’t keep the best for yourself and use the leftovers for seed.” Simply said, “you reap what you sow.” Like Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure -pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Luke 6:38).
Avoid the small potatoes. You can’t outgive God.
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Todd Gaddis is a semi-retired minister living in Athens. He continues to serve as an interim pastor and can be reached at jtoddgaddis@gmail.com.
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