GIVING IS AN EXPRESSION OF YOUR FAITH

12/14/2025

“Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’”

—Luke 7:50

We are very familiar with expressing love through giving. We give gifts to our children because we love them. We bless our spouses, parents, neighbors, and colleagues as tangible expressions of our affection. Giving as an expression of love is natural to us—and it is not foreign to God. In fact, it began with Him.

John 3:16 declares, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son…”Because God loved, He gave. Love found expression through generosity.

However, when it comes to giving to God, love must be our motivation. It is possible to give without love, and God is not interested in that kind of giving. This is why 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver.” God does not want your giving to be driven by pressure, guilt, or obligation. He wants it to flow freely from a willing heart.

The Amplified translation brings this out beautifully:

“Let each one give as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, prompt-to-do-it) giver.”

In yesterday’s devotional, we reflected on the woman in Luke 7 who anointed Jesus’ feet with very costly perfume. Her love for the Lord was unmistakable. She did not consider her gift extravagant; only the onlookers did. But Jesus explained her actions by saying, “Her many sins have been forgiven—so she has loved much. But he who is forgiven little loves little” (Luke 7:47).

Her giving was a response to revelation. She understood how much she had been forgiven, and that understanding compelled her to love lavishly.

Then Jesus said something profound in Luke 7:50: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” When I read that, I asked myself, What faith? We clearly see her love, but how did faith enter the picture?

Galatians 5:6 answers that question: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” In other words, her giving was not merely an act of love—it was an act of faith. Her generosity revealed her trust in Jesus. She believed Him. She trusted His mercy. And her faith found expression through love, demonstrated in giving.

Think about this: you cannot truly love God without giving to Him, and you cannot give to Him without faith in Him. Every act of giving to God is a declaration that you trust Him—trust Him with your resources, your future, and your provision.

1 John 4:19 says, “We love Him because He first loved us.” Since you love the Lord, allow that love to find expression. Demonstrate your faith through generous giving.

God bless you.

Faith-Filled Confession

Thank You, Father, for Your abundant blessings in my life. Thank You for meeting all my needs according to Your riches in glory. I rejoice that You use me as an instrument to minister Your love and abundance to those around me. Hallelujah!