WE SPEND MONEY EVERY DAY—SO WHY SHOULD GIVING TO GOD’S WORK BE DIFFERENT?
What a Nearly $100 Trip to Walmart Taught Me About Spending, Giving, and Investing in Eternity
Earlier today, my wife and I went to our neighborhood Walmart.
Nothing unusual about that.
We weren't buying a television. There wasn't a new computer in the cart. No expensive appliance. We didn't load up on steaks or other high-dollar groceries.
It was mostly ordinary stuff.
The kind of things you look around the house and say:
“We need this.”
By the time everything was scanned, the total was almost $100.
I didn't like the price.
But I paid it.
And something occurred to me afterward.
I NEVER STOPPED TO ASK WHETHER WALMART DESERVED MY FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
I needed something.
Walmart had it.
I paid for it.
Transaction completed.
And millions of us do essentially the same thing every day.
That got me thinking about something much bigger.
Why is it so easy for us to spend money on the things that sustain our temporary lives, yet sometimes so difficult to give money toward something that can have eternal consequences?
LET'S TALK ABOUT MONEY WITHOUT APOLOGIZING FOR IT
Money is part of life.
We earn it.
Save it.
Spend it.
Invest it.
Waste some of it.
Give some away.
And sometimes wonder where the rest of it went.
We spend money on housing.
Food.
Cars.
Gasoline.
Clothing.
Insurance.
Streaming subscriptions.
Cellphones.
Restaurants.
Vacations.
Coffee.
Entertainment.
Hobbies.
Sports.
Pets.
Technology.
Amazon deliveries.
And those mysterious little purchases that don't seem like much until we look at the credit-card statement.
Some of these expenses are necessary.
Some are investments.
Some bring enjoyment.
And some, if we're being truthful, we probably could have lived without.
There is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying the resources God has allowed us to possess.
But Christians should occasionally ask:
WHERE DOES THE KINGDOM OF GOD APPEAR IN MY FINANCIAL PRIORITIES?
BACK TO THAT SHOPPING CART
Think about my Walmart trip.
Almost $100.
What will eventually happen to what we bought?
The food will be eaten.
The household supplies will be used.
The containers will become empty.
Things will wear out.
Sooner or later, we'll go back and buy some of them again.
That's life.
There was nothing wrong with the purchase.
We needed those things.
But nearly everything in that shopping cart came with an expiration date of one kind or another.
THAT IS WHERE GIVING TO GOD'S WORK BECOMES DIFFERENT.
Suppose $25 helps put Christian materials into someone's hands.
Suppose $50 helps an outreach team reach another community.
Suppose $100 helps provide practical assistance while opening the door for someone to hear about Jesus Christ.
Suppose your gift helps a child, a family, a missionary, a church plant, or an evangelistic outreach.
The money still leaves your hand.
But what happens afterward can travel far beyond the transaction.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THE RETURN
When I spend $20 on groceries, I expect groceries.
When I spend money on gasoline, I expect fuel.
When I pay the electric bill, I expect the lights to stay on.
When we give toward Gospel ministry, the return is measured differently.
We're helping sow seeds.
Paul wrote:
“He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” — 2 Corinthians 9:6
Christian giving is not purchasing God's favor.
It is not buying a miracle.
It is not paying for salvation.
And it certainly should never be manipulated by promises that giving $100 somehow obligates God to send you $1,000.
THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
We're talking about stewardship.
Participation.
Partnership.
Taking something temporary and allowing God to use it toward something eternal.
JESUS TALKED ABOUT THIS
Jesus said:
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt... But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...” — Matthew 6:19–20
Jesus wasn't saying earthly responsibilities don't matter.
They do.
Feed your family.
Pay your bills.
Provide housing.
Prepare for emergencies.
Be responsible.
Scripture does not teach financial irresponsibility disguised as faith.
But Jesus reminds us that earth cannot be the final destination of everything God places into our hands.
Some of it should be pointed toward Heaven.
“BUT CHURCHES ARE ALWAYS ASKING FOR MONEY”
Some people are thinking that right now.
And I understand why.
There have been abuses.
There have been scandals.
There have been ministries that mishandled money.
There have been preachers who manipulated people.
There have been lavish lifestyles funded by people who could barely pay their own bills.
Those things damage trust.
And they should.
Christians should practice discernment.
Ask questions.
Look at the mission.
Examine what a church or ministry teaches.
Look for accountability.
Consider how resources are being used.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE TO EVERYTHING THAT ASKS.
But the existence of poor stewardship somewhere should not become our excuse for practicing no stewardship anywhere.
Find trustworthy Kingdom work.
Then help it work.
WHY SHOULD A CHURCH OR INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY BE ON YOUR “TO-DO” LIST?
Because somebody has to send the missionary.
Somebody has to keep the church doors open.
Somebody has to purchase Bibles.
Somebody has to help fund evangelism.
Somebody has to support outreach.
Somebody has to help feed the hungry.
Somebody has to assist children.
Somebody has to help missionaries travel.
Somebody has to help churches get planted.
Somebody has to respond when disaster strikes.
Somebody has to help carry the Gospel into communities where it still needs to be heard.
Romans 10:14–15 asks:
“And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?”
Notice that last word.
SENT.
Going and sending are both parts of missions.
EVERYBODY CAN'T GO—BUT SOMEBODY CAN HELP SEND
Perhaps you will never preach in the Philippines.
That's okay.
Perhaps you'll never participate in an outreach somewhere in Asia.
Perhaps your responsibilities require you to remain exactly where you are.
But missionary partnership allows your resources to travel where you cannot.
That's one of the beautiful things about giving.
YOUR BODY CAN REMAIN HOME WHILE YOUR GENEROSITY CROSSES AN OCEAN.
You give here.
Somebody goes there.
And together, the Gospel moves.
THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ALREADY SUPPORT
This is where things become interesting.
Every purchase supports something.
When you buy groceries, you support an enormous chain of economic activity.
When you subscribe to entertainment, you financially support entertainment companies.
When you purchase tickets, merchandise, electronics, clothing, or restaurant meals, part of your money helps sustain those businesses and industries.
We don't usually describe it as “support.”
We simply call it spending.
But money always goes somewhere.
The question for Christians becomes:
SHOULDN'T SOME OF MINE INTENTIONALLY GO TOWARD WHAT I SAY MATTERS MOST?
If Jesus Christ matters—
shouldn't reaching people with His Gospel matter?
If missions matter—
shouldn't missions appear somewhere in our giving?
If we believe eternity is real—
shouldn't eternity affect our economics?
Those are questions worth considering.
THE $100 TEST
Here is a simple thought experiment.
Look at the last $100 you spent voluntarily.
Not your mortgage.
Not medicine.
Not utilities.
Not something essential.
Just discretionary spending.
Where did it go?
Restaurants?
Coffee?
Entertainment?
Shopping?
Apps?
Subscriptions?
Something for the house?
Again, there may be absolutely nothing wrong with any of it.
The question isn't:
“Was spending this sinful?”
The better question may be:
“DOES MY GIVING SHOW THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD MATTERS TO ME TOO?”
That's a very different question.
WE FIND MONEY FOR WHAT WE VALUE
That's true for almost everybody.
When something becomes important enough, we usually begin rearranging things.
We save for the vacation.
Budget for the new vehicle.
Find money for Christmas.
Buy tickets to the game.
Upgrade the phone.
Replace the television.
Take the family out.
Again—nothing inherently wrong with these things.
But imagine if Christians approached missions with the same intentionality.
“Every month, I'm going to help somebody carry the Gospel.”
That changes giving from an occasional emotional response into a spiritual discipline.
SOMETIMES THE GIFT IS SMALL
And that's okay.
Don't allow the size of somebody else's gift to determine the value of yours.
Jesus watched people giving at the Temple and noticed a poor widow who contributed two small coins.
Others gave far more financially.
Yet Christ saw something deeper.
The lesson remains:
GOD SEES MORE THAN THE AMOUNT. HE SEES THE HEART BEHIND IT.
Maybe you can give $5.
Maybe $25.
Maybe $100.
Maybe $1,000.
Maybe considerably more.
The amount is between you and God.
The important thing is not competing.
It is participating.
AND SOMETIMES YOU SHOULDN'T GIVE MONEY
That may surprise you coming from a ministry.
If giving means your children don't eat—
feed your children.
If you're deciding between medicine and a donation—
buy the medicine.
If someone is manipulating, threatening, or guilting you into giving—
stop.
If you haven't examined the organization—
do your homework.
Biblical generosity should be willing, thoughtful, responsible, and prayerful.
Paul wrote:
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity...” — 2 Corinthians 9:7
God isn't looking for coerced money.
HE LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER.
WHAT DOES YOUR MISSION GIFT BECOME?
This is the part I wish every donor could see personally.
A gift can become:
Transportation.
Outreach materials.
A Bible.
Food.
Educational assistance.
Relief supplies.
Building materials.
Missionary travel.
Church development.
Communication.
Evangelism.
A helping hand extended to a family.
An opportunity to enter a community.
And sometimes, that practical assistance opens a conversation:
“Why are you helping us?”
And the answer becomes:
“BECAUSE JESUS CHRIST LOVES YOU.”
Now we're talking about something bigger than money.
THE GROCERIES WILL BE GONE
Those items my wife and I purchased?
We'll use them.
Eventually they'll be gone.
And we'll probably find ourselves back at Walmart buying more.
That's normal.
But suppose somewhere along the way we also put $100 into Gospel outreach.
Perhaps years from now, everything purchased during today's shopping trip will have long disappeared.
But someone reached through ministry may still be walking with Jesus.
Someone may have shared Christ with someone else.
A child who received help may become an adult who helps another child.
A church planted may still be preaching.
A Bible distributed may have passed through several hands.
A Gospel seed may have become a harvest.
THAT'S AN INVESTMENT WALMART CAN'T SELL ME.
YOU MAY NEVER SEE THE RETURN
And that's one of the difficult parts of missionary giving.
We like measurable results.
Put $10 in—we want to see what happened to our $10.
But Kingdom work doesn't always operate on our timetable.
Paul wrote:
“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” — 1 Corinthians 3:6
Sometimes you plant.
Somebody else waters.
God produces the increase.
And perhaps you don't learn the complete story until eternity.
That's faith.
SOMEBODY YOU NEVER MEET MAY THANK GOD THAT YOU GAVE
Think about that.
A family somewhere in the Philippines may never know your name.
A child may never shake your hand.
Someone reached through an evangelistic outreach may never know who helped finance it.
But your name isn't the important one.
JESUS IS.
We're not trying to build monuments to donors.
We're trying to build bridges toward people.
Your gift simply helps us cross.
THIS IS WHY WE ASK
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International has a large missionary vision for the Philippines and Asia.
Evangelism.
Discipleship.
Church planting.
Educational assistance.
Humanitarian outreach.
Children and youth.
Disaster response.
Ministry development.
Building programs.
And reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Vision requires faith.
But it also requires resources.
We can pray for a vehicle—
but eventually someone must purchase it.
We can pray about construction—
but somebody has to buy the materials.
We can pray about outreach—
but transportation still requires fuel.
We can pray for hungry families—
but groceries still have a price tag.
PRAYER AND PRACTICAL ACTION ARE NOT ENEMIES.
Often prayer tells us what action to take.
MAYBE THE NEXT TIME YOU SPEND $100...
Don't feel guilty.
Buy what you need.
Enjoy what God has provided.
But perhaps somewhere between the checkout and the car, ask:
“Lord, what am I investing in eternity?”
Maybe the answer is already clear.
Maybe you faithfully tithe and support missions.
Wonderful.
Keep going.
Maybe you have never considered regular missionary giving.
Perhaps today is the day to begin.
Not because Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International needs to win your money.
But because every Christian should prayerfully consider whether the Great Commission has a place in his or her financial stewardship.
TEMPORARY PURCHASES. ETERNAL POSSIBILITIES.
That's really the point.
Everything we possess here is temporary.
Our houses.
Cars.
Clothes.
Phones.
Bank accounts.
And yes—
even those almost-$100 Walmart purchases.
But people are eternal.
Souls are eternal.
The Gospel carries eternal consequences.
So perhaps the question isn't:
“WHY SHOULD I SUPPORT A CHURCH OR INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY?”
Perhaps it is:
“IF I BELIEVE THE GOSPEL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE IN THE WORLD, WHY WOULDN'T I WANT TO HELP SOMEBODY CARRY IT?”
That's worth thinking about.
And praying about.
BEFORE YOUR NEXT PURCHASE, REMEMBER THE ETERNAL
Enjoy life.
Take care of your family.
Pay your obligations.
Save wisely.
Invest responsibly.
Buy groceries.
Go on vacation.
Have dinner together.
Live.
But don't spend your entire life investing only in things that eventually disappear.
Leave something pointing toward eternity.
Help somebody.
Support your church.
Support trustworthy missions.
Sponsor Gospel work.
Help send somebody where you cannot go.
Plant seeds.
Because someday we will make our final earthly purchase.
The bank account will no longer matter.
The car won't matter.
The shopping cart won't matter.
But what was done for Christ?
THAT STORY WILL STILL BE BEING TOLD.
🙏 A PRAYER ABOUT OUR GIVING
Heavenly Father, everything we possess ultimately comes from You. Give us wisdom to provide responsibly for our families, manage our resources carefully, enjoy Your blessings gratefully, and remain generous toward others. Keep us from manipulation on one side and selfishness on the other. Show us where You would have us sow. Give us hearts that care about people we may never personally meet and faith to invest in work whose complete harvest we may not see in this lifetime. May our giving help carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ farther, reach one more person, and bring glory—not to us—but to You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International
Your Feet to the Nations
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