There is more to giving than just our money.  Giving financially is important.  How would the church accomplish her work if Christians were not willing to give of their means?  Remember, the financial needs of the church are met by the freewill offering of the saints.  Paul said, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Giving does not stop with the pocketbook.  We have no idea what Paul gave monetarily to the cause of Christ; yet, no one would argue whether he was a great giver or not.  He gave far more than silver and gold.

Philippians 3:7-8 (ESV)
⁷  But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

As Paul was climbing the ladder of Judaism, his achievements were very beneficial.  His advancements in the Jewish religion were profitable, affording him, not only a comfortable lifestyle, but also a certain amount of power and prestige.  Some scholars believe he was a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, the highest court in the Jewish land, though, to be honest, there is a dearth of evidence for that conclusion.  Still, he was clearly developing some clout before he was converted to Christ (Galatians 1:14).

Paul gave up all the esteem he developed by giving himself wholly to the Lord.  Like Moses before him, he considered the reproaches of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, or, in his case, the benefits of Judaism.

We all need to examine ourselves to see if we are willing to give up all for the Lord as Paul did.  Life provides us with many benefits, but the question is do we allow some of them to interfere with our Christianity?  What about our jobs?  Many children of God have been blessed with lucrative occupations that have given them lives of comfort.  This is not something for which one should be ashamed.  God is the one who gives us the power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18).  That wealth, however, should never become so important to us that we are unwilling to count it loss for Christ.

What about our friends?  It is wonderful to have friends.  A good friend is a blessing and a benefit.  Solomon said, “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend…” (Proverbs 27:9).  Friends can also hinder our service to God.  Paul reminds us that bad company ruins good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33).  If you have a friend (perhaps someone who has been a friend from the days of your youth) who has come to be a bad influence on you, would you give that friend up for the Lord?  A part of giving ourselves wholly to God is being willing to part with anything or anyone who thwarts our relationship with Him.

Paul was certainly a giver.  He gave his time, his energy, his prayers, and ultimately his life for the cause of Christ, but it all began with what he was willing to give up.  What kind of givers are we?  What are we willing to sacrifice as a part of giving ourselves wholly to the Lord?

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.