My question is how do I know if my motives for giving tithes and offerings are pure? I want them to be, but it seems that whenever I give I can’t help thinking of Malachi and other places where it talks about the blessings of giving. I want God to bless me, but I don’t want that to be my only motive for giving. I usually just try to commend it to God and then forget about it, but the thoughts still creep in. Do you have any suggestions?
Knowing that God will return our generosity in giving with generosity in blessing is something we can’t avoid because it’s a promise He’s made to us (Luke 6:38). And when we see this promise being fulfilled time after time it’s impossible not to be aware of it. As long as we give out of a spirit of generosity and let the blessings come as they may there’s no problem.
But people who are not generous givers but need $1,000 and give someone $100 because they’ve been taught God will have to repay them tenfold are not giving out of a spirit of generosity. They’re giving out of a spirit of greed. God is not obligated to respond in such cases.