Why 'Good Intentions' Aren't Enough (And What Actually Works)
This is the second in a series exploring what the Bible teaches about giving, grace, and generous living. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)
Let me ask you something: Why do parents make their kids clean their rooms?
Think about it. Parents could easily clean the room themselves in half the time, with way less drama. But they don't. Instead, they go through the whole exhausting process of nagging, reminding, and occasionally bribing their kids to do it.
Why? Because cleaning rooms teaches kids responsibility, accountability, and gives them a sense of accomplishment. It's better for their mental health. And here's the weird part—when kids keep their rooms clean, they're more likely to help with the whole house. They don't leave milk out or cupboards open. One clean room actually improves the health of the entire home.
The God Who Doesn't Need Your Paycheck
This same principle applies to something much bigger than household chores. It's about why God invites us to help meet other people's needs, even though He clearly doesn't need our help.
Think about it: This is the God who spoke light into existence, who told the ocean where to stop, who could literally speak every bill into being paid forever. He doesn't need your bank account. He's got infinite resources.
Yet He invites us to participate in taking care of each other. Why?
Because giving is designed to improve the overall health of the entire body.
When I say "body," I'm talking about the church which the Bible calls the Body of Christ. These are communities of people trying to live life together in a meaningful, Jesus first, way.
The Problem with Good Intentions
Here's where it gets real. About 2,000 years ago, the apostle Paul wrote to a group of people in Corinth who had this exact problem. A year earlier, they'd gotten all fired up about helping another community going through tough times. They had great intentions. They wanted to help.
But then life happened.
Paul had to write them a letter basically saying, "Hey, remember that thing you were excited about doing? You know, a year ago?"
Sound familiar?
We've all been there. We intend to help that friend going through a hard time. We intend to check in on our elderly neighbor. We intend to volunteer, to donate, to show up. But then our calendar fills up, unexpected expenses hit, work gets crazy, and suddenly our good intentions mean nothing.
Intentions without action bring hurt to the body.
Paul wasn't commanding these people to give (although he could have—he literally started their church). Instead, he said, "This is my judgment. This will benefit you." He was reminding them that their desire to help came from somewhere. For people who believe in God, that nudge to help usually comes from Him.
What God Actually Wants
Here's the shocking part: God doesn't want you to hurt yourself to help others.
Paul wrote, "If the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have" (2 Corinthians 8:12).
God wants what you're able to give—not what you don't have. Not what will put you in a financial crisis. He wants what you can actually handle.
Remember the story of the widow who gave two small coins while rich people gave large amounts? (Mark 12:41-44) Jesus praised her not because she gave more money, but because she gave according to her ability. In God's economy, the value of the gift is based on your ability to give it, not the size of the gift itself.
This means you need to actually know your numbers. You need a budget. You need to understand your finances. Part of God's plan is teaching us to be mature stewards of what we've been given.
So here’s the question: Are you letting God guide what you can give, or are you just going by what your spreadsheet says? That can be tough to answer honestly, but the answer reveals a lot about what is happening in our heart.
The Beautiful System
Paul explains something beautiful about how this all works. He tells the Corinthians that sometimes some people have plenty while others struggle. Then the situation flips. Those who had plenty might face hard times, while those who struggled might have abundance.
"Your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness" (2 Corinthians 8:14).
God could just fix everyone's problems instantly. But instead, He's set up this system where we take care of each other. When you have extra, you help someone in need. When you're struggling, someone with extra helps you.
The Ancient Bread Story
Paul references an old story to make his point. When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, complaining about being hungry, God made bread appear on the ground every morning. He told them to gather just what they needed for their families.
The crazy part? "Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack" (Exodus 16:18).
Those who gathered a lot didn't end up with extra. Those who gathered a little had enough. God's economy doesn't work like ours. He's in control of the supply chain.
Why This Matters for You
Whether you're religious or not, there's something profound happening here. When we help others, we're not just meeting their needs—we're changing ourselves.
Giving grows our discipline. It forces us to be intentional about our choices instead of just living on autopilot.
Giving teaches us stewardship. We learn to manage our resources better because we have to actually know what we have.
Giving connects us to something bigger. We become part of a system where people take care of each other instead of just looking out for themselves.
The result? A healthier community. A healthier you.
Giving is designed to improve the overall health of the entire body.
What Jesus Showed Us
Paul reminds his readers that Jesus modeled this perfectly: "Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Jesus had everything but gave it up to help humanity. He saw a need and met it, knowing it would cost him everything. That's the pattern.
The Questions That Matter
So here's what this means for your life:
What have you intended to do but allowed life to get in the way? Maybe God's been nudging you about something, but you keep putting it off.
How are you managing what you've been given? Do you actually know your numbers—your time, your money, your abilities?
How have you cared for your community this week? And if you have needs, are you letting people know?
What would change if you saw your resources as tools for helping others instead of just securing your own future?
A Different Way to Live
This isn't about becoming a doormat or giving away everything you own. It's about recognizing that we're all connected, that helping others actually helps us, and that there might be something bigger than just our individual success.
Maybe the God who made quail walk up to hungry people and say "eat me" is still in the business of taking care of needs. Maybe He's inviting you to be part of how He does that.
The beautiful part? When you participate in this system—when you give according to your ability and receive when you need it—you discover something profound: You're not just surviving life. You're part of something that makes life better for everyone.
And that changes everything.
This is the second in a series exploring what the Bible teaches about giving, grace, and generous living. (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4)
