The Two Biblical Types of a Giver: Understanding II Corinthians 9:6-8

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Do you know there are two types of a giver described in the Bible? Both give but they differ in their attitude, motivation, and character. Which one are you?

In this blog, let us take a more in-depth look at what the Apostle Paul meant when He wrote II Corinthians 9:6-8. Most importantly, let us identify the right type of attitude that we should all have when we give.

A story about giving

A Story of giving

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I want to start this blog with a story.

Two friends made a covenant that they will give ten percent of their income to their local church. As time went on, one of them became a businessman and the other a pastor.

The businessman gave $1,000 when he earned $10,000. Likewise, he gave $10,000 when he earned $100,000. He gave $100,000 when he earned $1,000,000. Finally, when he earned $10,000,000, he felt uncomfortable with the thought of giving $1,000,000 to the church. As he is about to write the check, he decided to stop giving.

So what he did was He called his friend who is now a pastor and asked if he can be freed from the covenant they made.

He told his pastor friend, “This tithing covenant should stop, pastor. At first, I can afford to give $1,000 when I earned $10,000. However, to think I’m giving $1,000,000 because I earned $10,000,000 is just too much that I can take.”

So, the pastor kneeled down and prayed to God.

The businessman became curious and asked, “Did you pray to God to let me out of the covenant we made?” The pastor answered, “No. I prayed to God to bring back your earnings to $10,000.”

The two types of givers

Friends, there is a significant lesson that we can learn from this story. My topic is not about tithing but about giving as a whole. I want to discuss the two types of givers. Let me introduce them to you by reading II Corinthians 9:6-8:

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

From this verse, we read about the two types of givers: the SPARING giver and the BOUNTIFUL giver.

The sparing giver

Let’s examine first the sparing giver.

The sparing giver has a strong desire to hold back. Now, I’m not saying that the sparing giver doesn’t give, but HE GIVES OUT FROM A HEART THAT WANTS TO HOLD BACK.

That’s why we read in the following verse that the sparing giver gives grudgingly or out of necessity. He is not concerned about what to offer, but how much he can hold back and still be able to give!

As you recall the story I shared with you earlier, we see how this is exemplified by the businessman. He gave a portion of his earnings, but why? Because he was under ought. He made a covenant with his friend.

All this time, he was giving out of necessity. He gives grudgingly. He didn’t willingly give to God.

The bountiful giver

The bountiful giver plans ahead of what to give.

As we read in verse 7, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart.”

The bountiful giver is so excited and drenched into giving that he makes sure that he has something to give. It was not a last-minute decision, but he purposes in his heart to give ahead of time. He plans to be a blessing to others.

The primary concern of the bountiful giver is what he can give rather than what he can keep.

Other differences of the sparing giver and bountiful giver

So, are you beginning to see the difference between the two?

Here’s another difference.

The sparing giver sees God as a taker, while the bountiful giver sees God as a Supplier.

The sparing giver hears God saying, “Give me, give me, give me.” On the other hand, the bountiful giver hears God saying, “Let me bless you so you can become a blessing to others.”

Do you know what causes the difference between the sparing giver and the bountiful giver? Do you know what sets them apart from each other? Do you know what causes a sparing giver a sparing giver and a bountiful giver a bountiful giver?

The answer my friend is their relationship with God.

If you are intimately close to God, you will eventually develop His generous attributes. God is generous, and so, you will also become generous. As your relationship with God grows deeper, you will ultimately develop the proper way of giving.

If you see God as a taker, all you can give is your surplus or a sparing gift. Now, if you see God as a Giver, Father, and Fountain of all good things, then you are more at peace in giving to others as well.

You become a channel of God’s blessings, love, and grace.

The effects of being a sparing giver and a bountiful giver

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Now, what happens when you give out of a willing heart? You become a cheerful giver.

You rejoice in giving.

Unlike the businessman, he dreads giving. It pains him to give. It feels like he is being punished by God.

What will happen if you are a sparing giver? You will reap sparingly. But if you are a bountiful giver, you will reap bountifully. If you plant one mango tree, don’t expect to see ten mango trees growing. Nature teaches us that what you sow, you will reap.

Here’s something that we can put our confidence on. If we are a bountiful giver, we can count on this promise of God. We read:

“And GOD IS ABLE to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”

Here’s a great truth for all of us to remember: God is able to give us all the things necessary for us to be generous.

This is contrary to our human nature. When we give, we naturally feel cheated, resentful, and embittered. We question God’s ability to bless us.

However, we read from this verse that God is not a sparing giver, but a BOUNTIFUL giver!

He is the God of abundance.

He is not the God of scarcity.

If God said that he can make all grace abound toward you, then He surely can make all grace abound toward you. Why? So that you will always have all sufficiency and abundance for every good work.

Final words

So, when you give, don’t worry about the things that you lose. Think about what you gave and how God can use your gifts to fulfill His purpose and do a mighty work.

I hope my friends that we have understood the two types of a giver.

Before I end this blog, let me leave you a question:

Are you sparing giver or a bountiful giver?


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6 thoughts on “The Two Biblical Types of a Giver: Understanding II Corinthians 9:6-8

  1. Pingback: What did Jesus Teach About Giving? Understanding Matthew 6:1-4 | Becoming Christians

  2. Superb illustration of Biblical giving. Thank you!
    “From what I’ve read of the New Testament , giving has nothing to do with tithing, we’re supposed to give till it hurts” CS Lewis

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