Day 181: What's Your Motivation For Giving?

Unless you are from the Paducah KY area you do not know what station 90.1 is. It happens to be the local KLOVE station, if you can call it local. It is actually a repeater and offers nothing in the local content area.

Over the days since Christmas they have been shilling for donations. I say "shilling" because of the reason they give for sending them money. They are pushing the "year end tax break" you will get. While that is true, should that be your motivation for giving? I mean will you give more if your tax break is much larger? Will you give just because of the tax break? Will you not give because you do not care about the tax break? I say that if the motivation behind giving to a "Christian" radio station is what they are pushing, tax savings, then you are doing it for the wrong reasons. If you give to any ministry with the motive of benefiting yourself, then you are sinning. Your works are dead in the giving and you would probably be better off to not give.

I am not saying that you do not have to not claim the tax deductions for your offerings or donations, but if that is your purpose then don't give. Of course you should give and give well, but what is your motivation for that giving? KLOVE is really in a bad predicament here as they are pushing their listeners to give based on personal gain. But then again, KLOVE is really a works based "ministry" anyway. But that is another blog post all together.

They fill the airwaves with "feel good" stories about how good people feel about their giving. How they get a warm fuzzy feeling when they write a check every month. I know that they are listener supported, but c'mon, don't push personal gain as the reward for giving. That reward being feelings, tax breaks or whatever else. Just put it out there as supporting the ministry and for them to pray about it. But then again they set aside weeks at a time through the year to push for donations and push those feel good stories of feeling warm inside and of ow great people feel to give.

I say give, give, give and then give some more. Seek God on what ministry He would have you support and give to them. He will direct you where He wants you to support, but don't do it with the wrong motivation. It may even be KLOVE that you give to for all of the right reasons and that is wonderful. You have followed biblical mandates of giving and God will honor that, even though they are pushing a self motivated, self centered reason for giving.

Be discerning is all I can say. That would make a fine New Years resolution for us all - to discern better and compare everything to the Word of God.