Almsgiving as a Spiritual Discipline
by Daniel Pyke
October 24, 2023
What’s the point of giving away money? Where should I give it, and how much? What in the world is an “alm” anyway? Perhaps Scripture and the Church Fathers have something to say about these questions.
First some context: Eucharist Church has been exploring the spiritually formative practices of the Great Tradition over the last few months in a catechesis series entitled Treasures of the Tradition. The goal of this series has been to be transformed by the renewing of our minds and conformed more fully into the likeness of Christ, enabled to more fully live all of life in reference to Christ.
Last week we discussed the spiritual disciplines of solitude, silence, and fasting. If you missed the discussion, you can find a recording of it here. A fourth discipline, almsgiving, was left off due to time constraints, and that is what will occupy us here.
Before getting into it, I want to briefly clear the air. I am a member of the vestry, discussing generosity on the heels of an announcement about our currently leaner-than-normal financial situation. This was purely an accident. The goal of this series is and has always been to see Eucharist Church grow in love for and worship to God through tangible practices, and almsgiving is no different. However, in light of the financial situation, I have added an appeal to give. To ensure that no readers of this post approach it cynically, I wanted to state this upfront. The appeal is at the end of the post and, I believe, very clear. You can read the rest of the post as an appeal as well if you wish, but that is not its intended purpose.
The Good of Giving
Giving alms - that is, giving money or other resources to the poor - is a discipline. Among other connotations, “discipline” carries with it the idea of being frequently difficult and painful, and most people (or everyone) experiences the disciplines this way some or most of the time. So what good is giving?
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul provides an exceptionally moving example of generosity, which is the basic heart posture necessary for appropriate almsgiving:
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints…For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (vv. 1-4, 9)
For Paul here, giving alms is a laudable practice, something to be celebrated. However, he is clear about the source of appropriate giving, namely God’s generosity. This generosity – in Christ, first and foremost – must be (or become) the foundation for the generosity of God’s people. Any discussion of the spiritual discipline of almsgiving ought to begin here. Giving alms, then, becomes an expression of love for God, mirroring His character of generosity. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19); we give because He first gave to us.
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus remarks that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (6:21) Here Christ points out that how people use resources exposes their values and priorities. Additionally, the choices we make, when pursued diligently, can form habits. Habits in turn can form character. Given this reality, perhaps Christ is also saying in this verse that our choices about how to use our treasures impact our hearts, either reinforcing our sinful impulses or challenging and, by God’s Spirit, sanctifying them. Thus, for those of us who find ourselves with hearts that are not disposed toward generosity with the grateful and generous spirit of the Macedonians, Jesus here offers this wisdom: intentionally putting our treasures where we believe God wants them to be (regardless of our feelings) can change our hearts. To recap, Matthew 6:21 indicates that how we use our treasures both reveals and shapes our priorities.
Multiple church fathers (Sts. Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, Leo), referencing deuterocanonical books (Tobit, Ecclesiasticus), claim that almsgiving has a cleansing effect from sin. Elsewhere, St. John Chrysostom (4th century), speaking of the Macedonians mentioned in 2 Corinthians 8, indicates that God may bestow other spiritual gifts on those who rightly enter into generosity.
In sum, giving expresses love for and gratitude to God and embodies His character; it helps reorient our priorities toward those of Christ and His kingdom; it may even act as a weapon against all kinds of sin and cultivate fertile soil for the formation of spiritual gifts. In these ways, almsgiving as a spiritual discipline, done out of (or at least in an attempt to grow in) love for God and a spirit of generosity, is a necessary component of the fullness of the Christian faith.
How Much?
The amount that you should give is not mandated by the New Testament. The Old Testament prescribed a tithe (i.e., 10% of income: Numbers 18:21 and elsewhere). Nevertheless, focusing on the tithe can obscure a key fact: the principle of stewardship; that is, all that we have is from God and is to be used in His service (e.g. Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Corinthians 4:7; 1 Peter 4:10). Irenaeus (2nd century) says, “[The Jews] had indeed the tithes of their goods consecrated to Him, but those who have received liberty set aside all their possessions for the Lord’s purposes.”
This means that all of our spending (rent, groceries, car insurance, vacations, Amazon Prime, retirement savings, Netflix) is, or should be, under the Lordship of Christ. Even our planned spending ought to be open to Christ’s redirection if He so leads: we allocate budget items and save intentionally (even sacrificially) toward certain goals, but God may lead differently at any time. Seen from this angle, my spending on my own housing and groceries is God’s gracious provision to me for my needs.
While important, the ideas laid out so far still do not give a handhold for determining even a rough amount to give away. Toward answering this question, there are two points to consider. First, there is a sense from Scripture that 10% is a minimum for most Christians: in Matthew 23:23, Jesus says to practice justice, mercy, and faithfulness “without neglecting the others” (i.e., without neglecting the tithe). Second, Scripture also commends sacrificial giving (Luke 21:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-4). Whatever percentage you are giving, if it never challenges your comfort or causes you to alter your lifestyle, that is something to bring before God in prayer.
To Whom?
Briefly at the conclusion of this post, it may be helpful for some to consider carefully the recipients of alms as exhorted by Scripture:
Give to the church (1 Corinthians 9:9-11). It can sometimes feel like the world admonishes us incessantly to support causes of all types, all of which are overwhelmingly urgent. Of course there is lots of good here (see the next two points), but a focus on helping the poor and other causes can, for some, eclipse the need to support the church. The verse evidences that support for the church should be primary.
In addition to this verse, I want to make two other comments: first, the church is the only place that administers the sacraments. This is a unique vocation that no nonprofit, grassroots movement, political group, or missionary can perform, and it is worth supporting (perhaps even as of first importance!). Second, donations are the only source of income for the church staff, so if we stop giving because we just want to give to the poor, we’d soon need to start again because they would become poor.
This, then, is my appeal on behalf of the vestry to you: the above points pertain regardless of the church’s financial situation. Nevertheless, in light of the current realities, I would like for you to consider giving more to Eucharist on a regular basis.
Give to the poor… (James 1:27). This exhortation does not mandate giving directly to individuals/families over against giving to organizations that help the poor. The point is that the poor should be helped. In many cases, organizations devoted to helping the poor will be far more effective than any individual’s direct donations. On the other hand, approaching generosity as a way of providing for tangible as well as relational needs can be more transformative in many scenarios than less personal approaches.
…especially those in the church (Acts 2:44-45; Galatians 6:10). A preference for the needs of Christians and for Christian charities is not out of alignment with Scripture.
Practices of Almsgiving
Take some time (perhaps in solitude and silence) to meditate on the reality that all your resources - money, possessions, time, talents, etc. - belong to God, and that you have them because of His abundant generosity. Thank God for His provision in making you and your family the beneficiary of many, probably most, of these goods.
Prayerfully review your expenses or categories of expenses from this perspective. As you consider each item, ask God about it: to what degree your expenditures reflect His will for directing His resources, or if there is self-interest, fear, or other sin influencing your purchases.
Tally up your total giving to get a sense of what percentage of your income you give away.
Use these pieces of information to develop a plan for giving. It may be beneficial to set up recurring donations, calendar reminders, or other prompts to assist you in sticking to your plan.
Thank God again for His goodness and provision.
Another practice, developed by Fr. Ryan Jones and from which much of this post has been derived, can be found at this link.
Finally, attending a Journey of Generosity is an excellent way to dive further into generosity in a group setting.
