Sometimes I meet people who wish they could give more.
“I want to give, but there's no more room in my budget”. Perhaps you have felt this way before. So, how can we be generous while staring down our monthly budget? Well, we could go with the flow… Most middle-class Americans simply don’t give.
- Giving by Class: The two groups in the United States that give the highest percentages of their income are the poor (those making less than $40,000 per year) and the rich (those making more than $100,000 per year). Middle-class Americans (those making between $40,000 and $100,000 per year) are the smallest percentage givers.
- Few Support the Church: Only one-third to one-half of U.S. church members financially support their churches. In 2004, just 9% of American "born-again" adults tithed.
- Church Donations: About $40 billion annually is given to churches in the US.
- Pets: In 2011, Americans spent over $50 billion on their pets.
When it comes to budgeting and generosity, we could go with the flow, or we might take some simple steps to strengthen our giving:
1. Get to know the God who “knows how to give good gifts”. As you do, you will become more generous and God will entrust more to your care.
2. If you are not giving, start by giving away 5% of your next paycheck (you won’t miss it, and the benefits of doing so may surprise you).
3. If you are giving, prayerfully consider giving away just 1% more this year.
4. Don’t wait to get out of debt to begin giving. The joy of giving may actually be the incentive you need to get more serious about your budget.
5. Watch for moments to be generous beyond your bank account. If you are creative, you will find many.
How have you balanced the reality of your budget against your desire to be generous? Leave me a comment below… I’d love to hear.
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