Mature in Faith: How Jesus Measures Spiritual Growth Through Our Giving

As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, it's natural to reflect on what it means to be spiritually mature. We often think we've "arrived" in our faith journey, but how does Jesus actually measure spiritual maturity? The answer might surprise you.

What Does Spiritual Maturity Really Look Like?

Jesus measures spiritual maturity by one's relationship to material things. This isn't a popular topic, but it's unavoidable in Scripture. Jesus spoke about money and possessions in one out of every seven verses. Sixteen of His 38 parables deal with our possessions. The Bible mentions money and possessions in over 2,000 verses - five times more often than prayer and faith combined.

Our relationship to our possessions serves as a clear indicator of our spiritual maturity. Just like students progress through different grade levels, Christians typically move through distinct stages of giving that reflect their spiritual growth.

The Stages of Spiritual Maturity in Giving

Infancy: The Non-Giver Stage

Every Christian starts as a spiritual infant. Infants are naturally self-centered and non-giving. This is illustrated perfectly in the parable of the rich man whose land produced plentifully. His response was entirely self-focused: "What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? I will tear down my barns and build larger ones."

God's response to this self-centered thinking was swift and sobering: "Fool! This night your soul will be required of you." The self-centered getter is already spiritually dead. Churches are filled with spiritual infants who require constant attention and care but contribute little to the kingdom's work.

Kindergarten: The Impulse Giver

The next stage involves impulse giving. We see this beautifully illustrated in Zacchaeus, the despised tax collector who climbed a tree to see Jesus. After his encounter with Christ, his immediate response was generous: "I give half my goods to the poor, and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I will restore it fourfold."

This surge of generosity from an ex-getter shows what happens when God touches a heart. Many Christians experience this during emotional moments - at conferences, during Christmas appeals, or after hearing moving testimonies. While impulse giving is better than no giving, it's still an immature form of generosity.

Elementary School: The Tither

When Christians move from sporadic impulse giving to giving as a way of life, they often become tithers. Some dismiss tithing as "Old Testament legalism," but Jesus addressed this directly with the Pharisees. He didn't tell them to stop tithing their herbs and spices; instead, He said they should focus on justice and love while continuing to tithe.

Tithing represents the basic elementary level of giving. It moves a Christian from impulse to consistency. However, studies have shown that if every member of some churches quit their jobs and went on unemployment but started tithing, they would double their church's budget. This reveals how few Christians even reach this elementary level.

Why Does Our Giving Matter So Much?

Middle School: The Honest Manager

The next level involves understanding that we're not owners but managers of God's property. Jesus taught this through the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16. The point is clear: even worldly people are smart enough to use available resources to prepare for their future. Why aren't God's people doing the same?

Jesus contrasted temporal and eternal wealth. Temporal wealth is small, fake, like play money. Eternal wealth is the real thing. Even that small amount of "play money" we have isn't really ours. If you're a Christian, all of it belongs to God - you just get to manage 90% of it.

This perspective shift is liberating. When you accept yourself as a manager of God's property, you're set free from the anxiety of ownership. The corporation belongs to Him, and so do you. You don't have to worry about things because God takes care of His property.

Higher Education: Sacrificial Love Giving

Jesus demonstrated the highest level of giving when He observed the widow's offering. While the rich gave out of their abundance, she "put in all she had to live on." Jesus declared that she had given more than all the others combined.

God doesn't measure love by its length but by its depth. Love is measured by the sacrifice it makes. This is why Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell everything and give it away - not because poverty is inherently good, but because his wealth was blocking his relationship with God.

Some Christians reach this level of sacrificial giving, like the couple who gave away their farm and property to go serve on the mission field. When asked what they'd do when the money ran out, they simply replied, "We're old. We'll be in heaven by then."

What About Faith Giving?

The highest level involves faith giving - trusting God for miraculous provision like George Mueller did. These are the believers who write checks without knowing where the money will come from, trusting God to provide. Not everyone receives this level of faith, and that's okay. We each receive the amount of faith God wants us to have.

The Challenge of Jesus' Teaching

Jesus' teaching about money cuts against everything our culture believes about wealth and security. Even His disciples struggled with these radical concepts. But Jesus reminded them: "If God so clothes the grass which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith?"

Our unwillingness to move up in our giving often reveals not a lack of resources, but a lack of trust in God's provision. It's a question of faith and love.

God's Standard of Giving

God Himself set the ultimate standard. He created us and owns us, but when we stole ourselves from Him, He purchased us back at terrible cost - making us twice His. In response to our obedient giving, He guarantees our livelihood and rewards us lavishly in this life and the next.

It's remarkable that we readily tip servers 15-25% for bringing us food, but hesitate to give even 10% to the One who made the food possible. There's no way we can give enough to measure what Jesus has given us.

Life Application

This week, honestly evaluate where you are in your spiritual maturity based on your giving. Are you still in the infant stage, focused primarily on what you can get? Have you moved to impulse giving, responding emotionally but inconsistently? Are you faithfully tithing at the elementary level, or have you progressed to seeing yourself as God's manager?

The goal isn't to feel guilty about where you are, but to consider where God might be calling you to grow. Spiritual maturity is a journey, not a destination. Even Christians of 70 years should still be growing and learning.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What is my current relationship with money and possessions?
• What might be blocking me from moving to the next level of spiritual maturity in giving?
• How can I demonstrate greater trust in God's provision this week?
• What would sacrificial love look like in my current financial situation?

Remember, your giving isn't just about supporting the church's budget - it's about your own spiritual growth and your relationship with God. Let your generosity reflect the depth of your love for the One who gave everything for you.