Godonomics by Chad Hovind

Author:Chad Hovind [Hovind, Chad]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-60142-478-5
Publisher: The Crown Publishing Group
Published: 2013-07-16T00:00:00+00:00

Christianity Today magazine researched the most accurate assessment of what percentage of their income the average American Christ-follower gives away. The magazine reported that the Chronicle of Philanthropy noted that donations received by the nation’s four hundred biggest charities—religious and otherwise—had dropped by 11 percent. Yet donations received by charities that belong to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability remained strong. A report from Empty Tomb, Inc., found that evangelical Christians donate about 4 percent of their income to their churches. Overall, Christians in the United States give 2.43 percent of their income.3

Even at the low end of giving at 2.43 percent of income, God has used the financial gifts of American Christ-followers to advance missions, gospel outreaches, hospitals, halfway houses, relief aid, mental hospitals, and schools throughout the world. If that’s what God did with less than 3 percent, imagine what would happen if we took seriously God’s standard of 10 percent. It’s possible to reach that level by progressively working your way up from your current level of giving.

Jesus used a woman who gave all she had as the model of generosity. A widow brought two pennies to the temple and gave them as an offering (see Mark 12:41–44). Because she gave all she had, her generosity affected her livelihood. The gift meant that she would have to live differently as a result.

Godonomics calls for giving not out of what is left over after you have purchased everything you want. Real generosity calls for organizing your life around God’s three Ps: percentage, priorities, and progress. If you don’t keep God’s guidelines constantly in front of you, you will fall victim to the illusion of generosity. That means you will spend and share, but to no one’s benefit but your own.

Jesus didn’t give to us out of His leftovers; He gave His very best. He left the penthouse for the outhouse. He was born to a poor, working-class family. He knows what it’s like to learn a trade, to use tools with skill, to build something with His hands. He left heaven to come to earth, to live among us and teach us, to perform miracles and to live a life that modeled God’s will. And then, the sacrifice He gave—His life and His blood—showed us the very best that He could possibly give.

To escape the self-serving lie of the illusion of generosity, study the life of Jesus and set out to follow His example. God doesn’t force us to give to others. But He does say, “Look at everything I’ve given you. I sacrificed My Son for you.” When you struggle with true generosity, you don’t need to try harder; you need to look deeper into the gift and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

The sacrifice of Christ is the motivation for you and me to live in a totally new way: devoted to radical generosity and committed to look deeply into our hearts to root out greed.

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