What are you giving to Jesus?

Human beings naturally prefer receiving to giving, but Scripture calls us to develop a generous heart. As this reflection about the prosperity of the generous explains, true blessing is not found in selfishly keeping everything for ourselves. It is found in honoring God and using what He has entrusted to us to bless others.

From childhood, we quickly learn to say, “This is mine.” We enjoy receiving gifts, attention, recognition, opportunities, and favors. Giving, however, requires us to release something we could have kept for ourselves. It may cost money, time, comfort, energy, or personal plans.

This tendency toward selfishness is part of our fallen nature and must be confronted through the Word of God. The Christian life is not centered upon accumulating as much as possible. It is shaped by Jesus Christ, who did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.

Everything we possess has first come from God. Our life, health, abilities, income, opportunities, possessions, and time are gifts placed temporarily under our care. Therefore, generosity is not merely giving away what belongs absolutely to us. It is faithfully managing what ultimately belongs to the Lord.

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

Why Is It More Blessed to Give?

The words of Jesus recorded in Acts 20:35 challenge the values of a selfish world. Human wisdom often says that the most fortunate person is the one who possesses the most, receives the greatest attention, and gives away the least. Jesus teaches the opposite.

Giving is blessed because it reflects the character of God. The Lord is the greatest Giver. He gives life, rain, food, daily provision, mercy, and countless undeserved benefits. Above all, He gave His only Son for the salvation of sinners.

Generosity also frees us from the control of possessions. When we hold everything tightly, money and material things begin to govern our decisions. We become anxious about losing them and suspicious of anyone who may need our help.

Giving teaches the heart that security does not come from possessions but from God. It also allows us to participate in meeting real needs, supporting the work of the gospel, encouraging believers, and demonstrating compassion toward those who suffer.

The blessing of giving should not be reduced to the expectation that God will immediately return more money to us. The greater blessing may be spiritual joy, freedom from greed, deeper gratitude, stronger fellowship, or the privilege of seeing another person helped through our obedience.

We Often Approach God Only to Receive

Many of our prayers focus almost entirely upon what we want God to give us. We ask for health, employment, protection, financial provision, success, healing, open doors, and solutions to our problems.

There is nothing wrong with presenting our needs before the Lord. Jesus taught His disciples to ask for daily bread, and Scripture repeatedly invites believers to bring their burdens to God.

The problem begins when prayer becomes nothing more than a list of requests. God is not a heavenly Santa Claus whose purpose is to satisfy every personal desire. He is the holy Creator, sovereign King, loving Father, and Savior who deserves worship whether or not He grants the specific answer we want.

Prayer should include confession, thanksgiving, adoration, surrender, and attentive meditation upon God’s character. There are moments when we should stop speaking about our needs and simply recognize His majesty.

We should ask ourselves whether we love God Himself or merely the gifts He provides. Would we continue worshiping if a desired answer were delayed? Would we remain faithful if obedience became costly?

Mature faith does not seek only the hand of God; it seeks the face of God.

A Dinner Was Prepared in Honor of Jesus

John chapter 12 records a beautiful act of devotion that took place shortly before the crucifixion of Jesus:

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

John 12:1-3

The scene takes place in Bethany, where Jesus had performed one of His most remarkable miracles by raising Lazarus from the dead. A dinner was prepared in His honor, and each person present appears in a meaningful role.

Martha served, Lazarus sat at the table as living evidence of the power of Christ, and Mary expressed her devotion through an extraordinary offering. She brought pure nard, a rare and expensive perfume, and poured it upon the feet of Jesus.

John later reports that the perfume was valued at approximately a year’s wages. This helps us understand that Mary was not giving something cheap or disposable. She offered something with considerable financial value.

The text does not explain exactly how Mary obtained it or what personal plans she may have had for it. We should therefore avoid inventing details. What Scripture makes clear is that she deliberately used something valuable to honor Jesus.

Mary Gave Jesus Something Costly

True worship has a cost. David once refused to offer God a sacrifice that had cost him nothing. Mary demonstrated the same principle by giving something precious rather than offering Jesus what she no longer needed.

This does not mean that the value of worship is measured only by its financial price. A wealthy person can give a large amount without making any real sacrifice, while someone with limited resources may offer something small that represents deep faith and love.

The value of Mary’s act was connected to her heart. She recognized the worth of Jesus and considered Him more valuable than the perfume.

Our offerings to God should also reflect sincere devotion. We should not reserve our best attention, energy, creativity, and time for everything else and then give the Lord only what remains.

The article A Sacrifice With Love for God reminds us that Christian service should not be a reluctant transaction. We honor the Lord with excellence because we love Him and are grateful for His grace.

Giving God our best does not mean producing flawless performances. Worship is not accepted because the singer never misses a note or because a prayer uses impressive language. God looks at sincerity, faith, obedience, and love.

Mary Humbled Herself Before Jesus

Mary did more than pour perfume upon the feet of Jesus. She wiped His feet with her hair. This was an act of profound humility and devotion.

In the ancient world, attending to another person’s feet was normally associated with humble service. Mary was not concerned about maintaining an impressive image before the guests. Her attention was fixed upon Christ.

Pride continually asks, “What will people think of me?” Worship asks, “How can Christ be honored?” Mary was willing to lower herself because she understood the greatness of the One before her.

This challenges the modern desire to receive recognition for every act of service. Some people are willing to serve only when their names are mentioned, their contribution is publicly celebrated, or they receive a visible position.

True worship does not need constant applause. It can clean, prepare, pray, give, visit, encourage, and serve in places where few people notice.

Humility does not think that service is beneath us; it remembers that no service offered to Christ is insignificant.

The House Was Filled With the Fragrance

John adds that the entire house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Mary’s private act of devotion affected everyone present.

In a similar way, sincere worship often influences more people than the worshiper realizes. A generous believer can inspire others to give. A faithful servant can encourage an entire church. A parent’s devotion can shape children for years.

The opposite is also true. Selfishness, complaining, and hypocrisy create their own atmosphere. They discourage others and make service feel like a burden.

What fragrance does our life spread? Do people around us experience gratitude, humility, generosity, and love for Christ, or do they continually encounter bitterness and self-interest?

We cannot control every opinion people form about us, but we can ask the Lord to make our conduct a testimony of His transforming grace.

Judas Considered the Offering a Waste

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,

5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”

6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

John 12:4-6

Judas evaluated Mary’s devotion and described it as wasteful. His objection sounded compassionate because he mentioned the poor. John, however, reveals that concern for the needy was not his true motive.

Judas kept the common money bag and stole from it. He used the language of charity to hide greed. What appeared to be financial wisdom was actually hypocrisy.

This teaches us that religious language can conceal a corrupt heart. A person may speak about stewardship, ministry, justice, or concern for others while privately seeking personal advantage.

We should examine our motives carefully before criticizing the devotion of another believer. Sometimes an act appears unnecessary to us because we do not understand the person’s gratitude or the way God has led that individual.

At the same time, this passage should not be used to justify every expensive religious project. Churches and believers must still practice wisdom, transparency, and responsible stewardship. The point is that Mary’s unique act was appropriate because it honored Christ at a significant moment before His burial.

Jesus Defended Mary

Jesus did not accept Judas’s interpretation. He defended Mary and explained that she had preserved the perfume for the day of His burial.

Mary may not have understood every detail of what was approaching, but her action carried a significance greater than she may have realized. Jesus was only days away from the cross.

Her offering was therefore not meaningless extravagance. It honored the Savior before His death and anticipated His burial.

This reminds us that acts of obedience can have purposes beyond our present understanding. A prayer, gift, conversation, or act of service may become part of something God is doing that we cannot yet see.

Our responsibility is not to understand every consequence in advance. It is to obey sincerely and trust the Lord with the results.

“You Will Always Have the Poor Among You”

You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.

John 12:8

Jesus was not teaching that poverty should be ignored. His own ministry repeatedly demonstrated compassion for the hungry, sick, rejected, and vulnerable. Scripture commands believers to help those in need.

Jesus was emphasizing the unique moment taking place. Mary had an opportunity to honor Him before His death, and that opportunity would not remain indefinitely.

Concern for worship and concern for the poor should not be treated as enemies. Genuine love for Christ should produce love for people. A church that sings passionately while ignoring suffering has misunderstood worship.

Acts 20:35 connects hard work with helping the weak. Christian generosity should therefore become practical. It feeds, clothes, visits, encourages, provides, and shares according to available resources.

Jesus does not need us to choose between honoring Him and showing mercy. When generosity is guided by Scripture, helping others becomes one way of honoring Him.

God Looks Beyond the Amount

The world usually evaluates giving according to visible size. A large donation receives attention, while a small contribution may be ignored. Jesus evaluates differently.

He once watched people placing gifts into the temple treasury. Wealthy individuals gave large amounts, but a poor widow offered two small coins. Jesus declared that she had given more than the others because they gave from abundance, while she gave from poverty.

The lesson is developed in The Offering of the Poor Widow. God sees not only what leaves the hand but also what remains, what the gift costs, and why it was given.

This truth encourages believers with limited resources. Generosity is not reserved for the wealthy. A small gift offered sincerely can be precious before God.

It also warns those with abundance. Giving a noticeable amount does not automatically demonstrate sacrifice when it produces no effect upon our comfort or priorities.

Give Without Seeking Human Praise

Generosity can be corrupted by pride. A person may give primarily to be admired, control others, create an impressive reputation, or gain influence.

Jesus warned against performing acts of charity in order to be seen. The Father sees what is done in secret and understands every motive.

This does not mean that every public gift is wrong. Some forms of giving must be recorded for accountability, and public generosity can occasionally encourage others. The issue is the desire of the heart.

Would we still give if nobody thanked us? Would we continue serving if someone else received the recognition? Would we help a person who could never repay the favor?

The purest generosity gives because it loves God and desires the good of others.

God Loves a Cheerful Giver

Paul teaches that believers should give according to what they have decided in their hearts, not reluctantly or under compulsion. God loves a cheerful giver.

The article God Loves a Cheerful Giver explains that Christian giving should flow from gratitude rather than pressure or manipulation.

Church leaders should therefore avoid using guilt, false promises, or emotional manipulation to obtain money. Giving must be voluntary, informed, and motivated by faith.

Cheerfulness does not mean that every sacrifice feels easy. Mary’s perfume was valuable, and generosity can require real surrender. The joy comes from knowing that Christ is worthy and that our resources can serve His purposes.

A cheerful giver does not continually complain about what has been given. The offering is released with gratitude and entrusted to God.

What Can We Give to Jesus?

Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth and does not depend upon human possessions. Everything already belongs to Him. Nevertheless, He allows us to express love through the stewardship of what He has provided.

We can give Him our time by praying, studying Scripture, gathering with the church, and serving others. Time is one of our most valuable resources because every hour that passes can never be recovered.

We can give Him our abilities. Some teach, sing, organize, repair, encourage, write, lead, cook, visit, or offer hospitality. Every legitimate skill can become an instrument of service.

We can give financially by supporting the local church, missionaries, ministries, and people experiencing genuine need. Money is not the only offering, but our use of it reveals much about our priorities.

We can give obedience. This may be the offering we resist most. Singing praise can feel easier than forgiving an enemy, ending a sinful habit, confessing dishonesty, or submitting an area of life to Christ.

We can also give thanksgiving. Instead of approaching God only with complaints and requests, we can remember His mercy and declare His goodness.

Jesus First Gave Himself for Us

Christian generosity is not an attempt to persuade God to love us. We give because He first gave to us.

Jesus did not offer sinners a small portion of His comfort while remaining safely distant from their suffering. He humbled Himself, took the form of a servant, obeyed the Father, and endured the cross.

He gave His body, shed His blood, bore divine judgment, and purchased salvation for everyone who believes. No gift we offer can compare with the sacrifice of Christ.

This protects generosity from pride. We can never place God in our debt. Even our greatest sacrifice is a response to grace already received.

It also protects us from giving merely to earn blessings. The gospel is not a business arrangement in which we invest money and demand a greater financial return. Christ Himself is our treasure and reward.

Give God Your Best, Not Your Leftovers

Mary did not search for the least valuable item available. She brought something costly and poured it out before Jesus.

We should examine whether God receives the best of our lives or only what remains after every other interest has been satisfied. Do we give Him focused attention or distracted moments? Do we serve with preparation or constant carelessness?

Giving our best does not require neglecting family, employment, health, or necessary rest. These responsibilities also belong to God. It means ordering every area of life under His lordship and refusing to treat Him as an afterthought.

The best offering is a life surrendered to Christ. Money without obedience cannot please Him. Beautiful songs without love, purity, and humility become empty noise.

God desires our hearts, and when He possesses the heart, our time, abilities, worship, and resources will increasingly follow.

Let the Fragrance of Worship Fill Your Life

Mary’s perfume filled the house, and her devotion continues to instruct believers centuries later. She did not preach a sermon or perform a public miracle. She simply recognized the value of Jesus and responded with love.

Our lives can also spread the fragrance of Christ. Generosity, humility, service, gratitude, and sincere worship can influence homes, churches, workplaces, and communities.

Ask yourself today: What am I giving to Jesus? Am I approaching Him only because I want another blessing, or because I recognize that He is worthy?

Perhaps the Lord is calling you to give time to someone who feels alone, use an ability you have neglected, help a family in need, serve more faithfully in the church, or surrender a personal desire that has competed with Him.

Do not compare your offering with another person’s. Mary gave what was in her hands, and the widow gave what was in hers. God knows your circumstances and evaluates the sincerity of your heart.

Give wisely, freely, humbly, and joyfully. Do not give to purchase divine favor or earn human applause. Give because Christ loved you and gave Himself for you.

There is nothing we can offer that will exceed the worth of Jesus Christ. He deserves our deepest gratitude, highest praise, faithful service, generous hearts, and complete obedience.

May we stop living only to receive and learn the blessing of giving. May our prayers contain more worship, our hands become more generous, and our lives become offerings of gratitude before the Lord.

Like Mary, let us bring Jesus our best, humble ourselves at His feet, and fill every place around us with the beautiful fragrance of sincere worship.