My Daily Pause

The Death of Ananias – 1515 – Raphael (1483–1520)

Ananias and Sapphira “overstated” their contribution. (Acts 5:1-6)

There they were, on the edge of doing something good and right, and they let their ego get bigger than their heart.

Look what Solomon says about that:

The Lord hates sacrifices brought by evil people,
particularly when they offer them for the wrong reasons. – Proverbs 21:27 NCV

The bible talks a lot about our money and our giving. More than most other subjects even. He wanted us to be good givers – givers that think nothing of the rewards.

Here are the critical moments of some famous giving in the Bible. Think about what must have been on their heart as you check the verses:

Poor examples:

• The Rich Young Ruler: Mark 10:18-22
  
• Judas: John 12:3-6
  
• Ananias and Sapphira: Acts 5:1-2
  

Good Examples:

• Barnabas: Acts 4:36-37
  
• The Poor Widow: Mark 12:41-44
  
• David: 2 Samuel 24:24
  

David may have made the most stinging statement of all – The gist of it is “It’s not a sacrifice if I didn’t make a sacrifice.”

In the end, will your giving really count?