With Thanksgiving coming up this week, my focus naturally turns to—well—Thanksgiving! Not just turkey, football, and whether or not Aunt Mildred’s mystery casserole is safe to eat, but real thanks + giving. The word itself is a combination of two actions: expressing gratitude and giving something in return. Scripture ties those together repeatedly. And when it comes to giving, the Bible is very clear—not all gifts are created equal. Some are acceptable to God…and some are not. Exhibit A: Cain and Abel. Cain brought God an offering and got a cosmic thumbs-down. Abel brought his by faith, and God—a much tougher judge than Simon Cowell—accepted his gift (Hebrews 11:4). Paul echoes this principle when he praises the Philippians for their generous support, calling their gift “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” So apparently, God does not give out participation trophies—He cares about what we give and how we give it.
One of the first questions most people ask about giving—especially when sermons turn in that direction—is, “Okay, but how much?” We want specifics, maybe even a chart or an app. But God intentionally leaves the amount up to each of us. King David once refused to give God something that cost him nothing. He said, “I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing” (Second Samuel 24:24). That is a powerful principle: an offering that costs us nothing means nothing. Jesus backed this up in Matthew 6:21 when He said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” You can put it this way—if you want to know someone’s priorities, skip the social media profile and take a peek at the checkbook. Our giving reveals the direction of our hearts.
But here is what often surprises people: God never forces giving. He invites it. In Exodus, when Moses took up an offering for the Tabernacle, he didn’t twist arms or guilt-trip the Israelites. Instead, he received contributions only from “everyone whose heart moved him to give.” Paul teaches the same principle in Second Corinthians 9:7: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion.” You decide the amount. God is not a tax collector—He is a Father who desires willing children. He will not pry open your hands to make you give; He waits until gratitude opens them. That is Thanksgiving. Real giving flows from a grateful heart. And a grateful heart always wants to give—because love always does.