Why Give?
“When we give from love, it becomes a fragrance that reaches heaven.”
Philippians 4:18 — “They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”
Ray Stedman’s reflection today brings our attention to a kind of giving that goes far beyond budgets or bills—it goes straight to the heart of God. As Paul acknowledges the gifts he received from the Philippians, he’s not merely issuing a thank-you note. He’s revealing something eternal: that the joy in giving lies not in what the receiver gains but in what the giver receives.
The apostle makes it clear—he wasn’t chasing their money. He was rejoicing in the interest that their gift was accruing to their spiritual account. In the economic terms of the day, this was a growing return—not just financial, but spiritual—a fragrant deposit of love, fueled by the Spirit, and now delighting the heart of God.
Stedman invites us to view our own giving through this lens. When we give with a cheerful heart, when we pour out our resources in love, not out of duty but out of delight, that offering doesn’t stop at the plate, or the envelope, or the transfer—it reaches heaven. It rises like incense before God, bringing Him joy. Not because He needs anything from us, but because our giving reflects His own giving heart—generous, willing, joy-filled.
And isn’t that the beauty of grace-giving? It’s not about the size or frequency. It’s about the spirit. A coin given in quiet joy is every bit as fragrant to God as a great sum given in love. In fact, Scripture says He watches—just as He did that day in the temple treasury—and He sees not the amount, but the heart.
Personalized Journal Entry — In the Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture
I see every gift you offer—not just the coin or the check, but the spirit behind it. I dwell within you, and I know the quiet joy that stirs your heart as you give, not to earn My favor, but because you are already filled with it.
You are not giving to gain a blessing. You are giving because you are blessed. Out of the abundance I have poured into you—grace upon grace—you release with open hands. You give not from obligation, but from overflow.
I watch as you give—not with scrutiny, but with delight. I am the One who sat by the treasury, and I still see. I take notice not of what is seen by others, but of the intent, the fragrance of the offering.
What you offer is more than a transaction—it becomes an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to Me. You are My beloved child, and what rises from your cheerful generosity is a sweet aroma that echoes the heart of My Son. He gave Himself for you as a fragrant offering, and now He gives through you—gladly, joyfully, completely.
Every time you sow, it multiplies—not in earthly dividends, but in a harvest of righteousness. Your generosity abounds from the fullness of My Spirit in you. You lack nothing. I supply seed to the sower and bread for food, and I enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
This is not loss. It is increase. Your giving brings Me joy, not because I am in need, but because it reveals that you trust Me completely. And I will meet all your needs according to My riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:18, John 1:16, Mark 12:41–44, Ephesians 5:2, 2 Corinthians 9:6–11, Philippians 4:19)
Prayer
Father, how freeing it is to know that You take joy in the cheerful giving that flows from Your Spirit within me. I don’t give to gain favor—I give because Your favor already fills me. Thank You that every act of love, no matter how small, is a fragrant offering rising before You.
You have made me rich in Christ, and I lack nothing. I trust that as I give, You continue to pour through me. What an honor it is to reflect Your generosity. I rest in the reality that every need is already met in You.
So today, I live open-handed, because You live open-hearted in me.
Amen.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
Suggested Unsplash Image:
A close-up of a hand gently releasing flower petals into the wind.
Caption: