Jesus taught this way,
Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don't do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
(Matthew 6:1-4 NLT)
What is our motivation for giving? Selfishness or compassion, blessing or need, you decide. God’s Word teaches if we are giving to God the only gift that is received will be the ones given with a clean heart. Again Jesus taught this,
But I say, if you are even angry with someone [without cause], you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
(Matthew 5:22-24 NLT)
You see it’s not just what is being placed on the altar but our very lives are to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. We are not to judge others but according to God’s commandments we are to judge our own action, motivations, and even thoughts so that God doesn’t have to. My friend do not think so highly of yourself as to place your needs and desires above others but trust that the Master knows the heart of each man and woman and sees our true needs and intentions and will give to each the portion they deserve. Once again Jesus teaches this,
"When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, 'Give this person your seat.' Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! "Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
(Luke 14:8-11 NLT)
It’s about looking to God and knowing that He knows each heart and His intent is to bless His people through the vessels of His choosing. In this way His blessings not only cover the needy but those who humble themselves and allow God to work through them as well. You see though the gift passes from you to the one receiving it you are not the giver but simply the vessel from which the gift has been poured. Though you worked for the money that blesses someone God is the One that provided the job for you to have the money and so it goes. No matter how much you give you cannot out give the Lord God whether it be finances, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, or many, many other things.
I grew up understanding this scripture to mean finances but it is about so much more! Malachi the prophet spoke as God gave him the words, giving God’s people the choice and proving His blessings are conditional but thankful His love and long suffering is not. Even when we turn our backs to God His Holy Spirit reminds us of His love, wooing back into relationship with Him. In the Old Testament, before the Holy Spirit came God used His prophets such as Malachi to correct and teach – this is God loving a people who turned their backs to Him and He still does it today!
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put Me to the test!
(Malachi 3:10 NLT)
Don’t cheat God, get your selfishness out of the equation and let Him do the work He has purposed through you as His living sacrifice. When His people are arrogant and refuse to be God’s vessel we will see very quickly God can use anything He chooses, even a donkey!
But God was angry that Balaam was going, so He sent the angel of the LORD to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, Balaam's donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. Then the angel of the LORD stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. Then the angel of the LORD moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff. Then the LORD gave the donkey the ability to speak. "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?" it asked Balaam. "You have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted. "If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!" "But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life," the donkey answered. "Have I ever done anything like this before?" "No," Balaam admitted. Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him. "Why did you beat your donkey those three times?" the angel of the LORD demanded. "Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey."
(Numbers 22:22-33 NLT)
