Modern Christianity has terribly corrupted both the meaning and beauty of liberality. Giving has turned into a show designed to bring honour and praise to those doing the giving. God never intended giving to be so perverted. For this reason, the apostle Paul declared that the bountiful giving of the saints caused thanks to be given to God (2 Corinthians 9:11). The more they gave, the more thanks God would receive (2 Corinthians 9:12). The Corinthians recognized that man should not receive personal glory for giving especially when considering the fact that one’s ability to give does not exist apart from God’s enabling. This is not to say that an individual who obeys God should not be appreciated for his obedience to God. Yet, all praise and thanks belong to God. Men should give abundantly in hopes that the Lord would receive the glory and receive many thanks.
The Lord detests murmuring. He hates it so much that He sent fire among the Israelites because of their murmurings (Numbers 11:1). In the New Testament, He warned believers to avoid falling prey to the same sin as the Israelites (1 Corinthians 10:1-14). Additionally, New Testament believers are admonished to do all things without murmurings (Philippians 2:14-16). People murmur as they focus on events within their lives rather than upon the Lord and His word. Yet, the Christian’s life events are ultimately brought to pass, either directly or indirectly, by a loving and caring God. The Lord abhors murmuring because it directly insults His working and provision in our lives.
