Gift of Giving

Definition: Sharing with others

What it means

Givers enjoy giving out of desire, not obligation. They get excited about seeing other people receive. Givers are motivated to give to God. They do it by sharing their personal, financial, and material assets with generosity for the needs of people and God’s work. Those with the motivational gift of giving are the “arms” of the body. They genuinely enjoy reaching out in giving. Those with this motivational gift of giving are excited by the prospect of blessing others; they desire to give quietly, in secret, but will also motivate others to give.

Purpose in the Body

To contribute resources needed in the function of the Body of Christ and thereby glorify God

(II Corinthians 9:12)

To inspire other ministries and gifts to excellence of ministry

To guide God's people in wise use of resources

To propel the gospel message throughout the whole world

(I Corinthians 9:14, 16)

Practical Example

A new ministry was being established and the Giver enlisted people he knew to contribute to the development of a property. By visiting them personally, and inviting them to give, in a few months he had twenty donors pledging to give significant amounts to make the project possible. This project fulfilled his convictions about the kind of endeavors to which he gives time and finances. He was also influential in helping the new organization form a board and its basic governmental structure. While he rejected all consideration that he was controlling what was happening, his presence and opinions were certainly influential.

Profile of Motivational Gifts

"…we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us…" - Romans 12:6

Speaking Gifts (I Peter 4:11) Serving Gifts (I Peter 4:11)

Living Out Your Gift

Understanding your motivational gift is only the beginning. The functions, qualities, and actions below paint a picture of how this gift naturally shows up in your life, and where grace can sharpen it further. Read through each section prayerfully and consider how these patterns reflect your own experience.

Functions of the gift

Able to make wise purchases and investments (Proverbs 31:16)
Desires to give quietly and privately (Matthew 26:6-13)
Attempts to use giving to motivate others to give (II Corinthians 9:2-5)
Alert to valid needs others may overlook
Concern that gift be of high quality (Hebrews 7:4)
May give material things (Luke 3:11)
May give spiritual gifts (Romans 1:11)
May share finances from wages (Ephesians 4:28)
Desires to share the gospel through evangelism (I Thessalonians 2:8)
Emphasizes tithing in counseling (Genesis 14:20)
Conviction to give to effective, proven ministries and projects (II Corinthians 8:18-24)
Motivates others in use of talents and gifts
Views life from a giving and receiving principle (II Corinthians 9:10; Genesis 13:8-9, 14-15)

Personal qualities

Enjoys meeting needs without pressure of appeals
Joyful when gifts are an answer to others' prayers
Dependent upon partner's counsel to confirm amount of gift
Desires to feel a part of the work or person to whom they give (Romans 1:11-12)
May live a very frugal lifestyle
May not be a wealthy person (II Corinthians 8:2-3)
Shares oneself through giving resources (II Corinthians 8:5)
Desires to give beyond the tithe
Not fulfilled in relationships or social settings unless able to give something
May have a special ability to make money (Genesis 13:2)
Closes spirit to friends who associate with them for the sake of money (Proverbs 19:4)

Positive actions

Handle large sums of money without undue focus on temporal values (I Timothy 6:17)
Give money without attempting to control the ministry of others (Genesis 13:9, 11)
When encouraging others to give, do so without pressure, enabling them to give ungrudgingly (II Corinthians 9:7)
Do not neglect the needs of family or local congregation while giving to others (Genesis 23:9, 13)
Encourage recipients to trust God rather than man as their source (Genesis 14:23)
Avoid a critical attitude toward those who lack generosity
Learn to be led of the Holy Spirit in both the liberality and the restraint of giving (Genesis 22:1-18)
Willingly receive gifts from others (Genesis 23:10-16)

How to Use This in Your Small Group

Small Group Questions

Motivational Gift Discussion & Application Guide

Meeting #1

Action:
Have everyone has complete the assessment. Now have group members share their three highest motivations. With each motivation they should share a practical example of how they see this motivation appearing in their lives.

Prayer Point:
Pray for each other appreciating how God has made each one and for the maximizing of the gifts that are the highest for them.

Meeting #2

Action:
This meeting have group members share their three lowest motivations. Get ready to laugh. With each motivation they should share an example from their life that demonstrates a deficit in each area.

Prayer Point:
Pray for each other asking God to add people around them that are strong in the areas they exhibit weakness.

Meeting #3

Action:
The motivational gifts are often compared to parts of the human body as follows:

Prophecy – eyes
Service – hands
Teaching – mind
Giving – arms
Exhortation – mouth
Administration – head
Mercy – heart

Question One: Have the group members pick one of these comparisons and describe how it is true or maybe not a good comparison.

Question Two: Have the group members describe how a person who is motivated by one gift (the eye) could easily misunderstand a person who is motivated by another gift (the heart). They can use any two motivations.

Prayer Point:
Pray for each other asking for God’s help us to appreciate others who do not have like motivations as our own. Perhaps people could give specific names for prayer.

Meeting #4

Action:
Pick a particular scenario like for example visiting someone in the hospital and have group members each pick and describe how a person with one motivation might behave in this scenario. The group should cover all seven motivations. Other possible scenarios might be coming upon a traffic accident or helping someone prepare for an exam.

Prayer Point:
For this time just take prayer requests that might or might not be related to the motivational gifts.

Meeting #5 (allow extra time)

Action:
We want to demonstrate the strengths of each gift. Have everyone pick a motivation in which they are high and come prepared to demonstrate it in 5-7 minutes. Some suggestions follow:

Prophesy – share something that is prophetic for some individuals or the whole group.
Teacher – do a short teaching
Exhortation – share an encouragement for some individuals or the whole group.
Leadership – lead the group through a brief team building exercise.
Serving – do something to serve the group (bring food or wash feet, etc.)
Giving – bring a gift along for everyone.
Mercy – pray for each person to be lifted out of any hardship they are experiencing.

Prayer Point:
To close this study, have each individual sit in the middle of the room and all pray for blessing on them as they go forth and use the spiritual gifts they have been given. Specific scriptures can be prepared ahead of time and shared as well with each group member.

Scripture

Jesus: II Corinthians 8:9
Paul: I Thessalonians 2:8; Philippians 4:14-20

Your Next Step Starts Here

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