I learned a lesson several years ago about giving. There are times when we damage or hinder someone by giving to them. As Christians the compassion God has placed in our hearts will tell us to help those in need. That desire, tempered with Wisdom and Knowledge, enable us to do His work in this world. When we fail to seek that Knowledge and the Wisdom to use it, our giving can be misguided. Satan would like nothing better than to strip the blessings of Gods from us.

By causing us to give out of the will of God he can rob us and others. A good example, God has given you a new job, intending that you would bless others with the increase in your life. After all the Tithe (a tenth) and the First Fruits (the first paycheck) belong to God. As we give into the House of God, the needs of the Church are met. God has instructed us to give out of our increase. When we give, we are sowing seed that will bring forth a harvest in our lives. As we sow into fertile ground our seed, under Gods watchful eyes, will grow and bring in a harvest.

Now suppose we sow into infertile ground, we give to someone who is not following the will of God, our seed will be wasted and we have no increase. Now we suffer loss, those that God would have us help suffer because we have nothing to give, and Satan has won the battle.

God gave us an example of giving in the book of Ruth. When Naomi and Ruth were in need, she traveled to the field of Boaz gathering the grain left by the reapers. There she received instructions from him how she should glean. After Ruth had first proved herself by following the instructions of Boaz, he instructed his servants.

In the end God blessed her over and above that which would have been the normal wage.