Givers or Hoarders -By Seun Elere

Everything in live revolves around giving. In economics, giving is the fundamental principle. To make money, you must invest money. You can’t claim dividends from a company you haven’t invested in. Even to stay alive, you have to give carbon dioxide to take oxygen. If you want to get prudent with the carbon dioxide by keeping it in you, you will die. It is as simple as that. To get respect, you must give respect. You will not know love until you have given it.

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35.

The one who gives always receives and the giver is always more blessed than the one who receives. Economically, a good investment always yield profit and profit is your investment plus a little extra. In the same way, we were created to look after each other. It doesn’t matter your religion or belief, giving is universal. In fact, it is the only acceptable religion: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Jame 1:27 NIV. This was further buttressed in Matthew 25:35-46.

It doesn’t matter what you have or how much of it you have, there always someone in need of something, and there is always something you can give. You can’t get what you cannot give. The money you keep doesn’t multiply as a matter of fact, it depreciates with time due to inflation and other economic forces but what you give would always yield return.

Unfortunately, many of us are hoarders. We believe in keeping plenty lies our power. You can build a mansion in the village but you can’t sink borehole for people around your house to get water. You live every day of your life to suppress the poor.

Furthermore, you want them to worship you. You have so much but you can’t even spare a few to pay tuition for the children of the poor. Those things don’t concern you, you didn’t force anyone to have children, you say, forgetting the fact that those children would tomorrow pose a threat to you and your children of they are not catered for.

Nigeria is blessed with few rich folks and the wealth of these few can cater for the needs of the many poor populations but only very very few of these rich guys think about the poor. Few that do reach out to the poor do not do it to capacity but only to gain cheap popularity and publicity. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again. Proverb 19:17. You can give your way out of that sickness that has been a source of worry for you and your family Psalms 41:1-3. Also, you don’t have to be rich or wealthy to give. The lesser is blessed of the greater Hebrew 7:7. (1John 3:7; Heb 13:16)

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.

Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ Deut 15:7-11 ESV

Check it out, many of the countries that are called developing countries (especially in Africa) have worn that name with shamelessly with pride for many many years just because they remain a receiver. Nigeria, with her amazing natural and human resources, has comfortably remained in developing mode for many years because of her receiver mentality. America lives to give and it, on yearly basis, gives billions of dollars in aid to other countries. Does this mean that America don’t have poor people, no but the country understood that in giving lies true power. Many of these European countries we Japa to also give millions of euros in aid to the so-called developing countries directly and through the EU. England is a massive aid donor, mostly to Africa. No wonder these countries are very blessed.

Even the Church is not spared. The churches that practice giving are not difficult to spot. They always gather massive crowd, have wider network and of course with God manifesting His presence through signs and wonders. Many of these churches, through their foundations, are reaching out, contributing to solving global challenges. Unfortunately, many churches are not practicing this.

To truly progress in life, you must keep a giving mentality. Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Ecl 11:1 ESV. There is absolutely nothing you give that you won’t get.

When you sow a corn of maize, you reap a comb of maize. The hand that gives is the one that is blessed. Nobody ever has enough but the understanding that in your little you can give little is the true religion.
Considering the total net worth of the top 10 richest people in the world, having over 800 million hungry people in the same sphere does seem like a paradox and proof that we all need to start prioritizing giving and practicing as a way of life.

Givers never lack.