We have been taught from a young age that life works in balance, from our parents to our teachers. Our parents have taught us to be kind, mindful, show respect and not be a respecter of persons. Newton's law was drummed into us by our teachers - for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Long before our parents taught us, and long before Mr. Newton came up with his three laws of motion, Jesus said, "Give, and it will be given to you." However, Jesus said this and attached a guaranteed consequence should we choose to follow His instruction. He continues, "They will pour into your lap a good measure-pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return" [Luke 6:38 AMP]. How amazing is this? This means that each time we give, while we don't give with the object of receiving something in return, the law and principles of God dictate that we will receive more in return. There is a warning wrapped up in this principle as well - whatever we give or dish out, whether good or bad, will return to us multiplied.
This principle of 'give and it will be given' is honoured by God each and every time we open our hearts in kindness and act like He would. This honour, as much as the ability to give, is a gift from God. All our giving should always be to honour God, and the recipient of our gifts are blessed by our obedience and reverence of God. The day we start to give to simply impress God, is the day that we lose His honouring of that gift. Worse, when we start to give simply to impress people with our generosity, we make ourselves guilty of pride, and also lose out on the blessing and honouring of God. Jesus made this abundantly clear when He said, "So whenever you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not blow a trumpet before you [to advertise it], as the hypocrites do [like actors acting out a role] in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honoured and recognized and praised by men. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, they [already] have their reward in full" [Matthew 6:2 AMP].
The act of giving money to the poor and needy, and indeed the actual amount, is always seen as secondary importance for God against the motivation behind our actions. Let me put it this way, God isn't really interested in the amount, whether it is R1, R10, R100 or a R1000. Even when it comes to our tithe, we can regularly (and religiously) make sure that we give it, but without the proper motivation this will come to naught in the eyes of God. In fact, Jesus pities those who give out/from of themselves without considering the Kingdom principles that govern all giving; "Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others" [Matthew 23:23 AMP].
