When we think of giving, most people immediately think of money. But what if true giving means something much deeper—something that changes not only the recipient but also the giver?
I learned this lesson firsthand one night in Mexico City, where two encounters—one with a centuries-old saint, and another with a modern-day disciple—gave me a new perspective on generosity.
Let me walk you through that experience..
O divine Master
Grant that I may not so much
Seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
—Saint Francis of Assisi (1181–1226)
An Unexpected Detour in Mexico City
It had been a long, exhausting week for my associate and me. We were completing our sixth straight day of teaching in Mexico. We knew very little Spanish, and our class of nineteen Latin American leaders from twelve countries knew very little English. Consequently, we found ourselves mentally exhausted after six ten-hour days of teaching technical material and coaching the learners through an interpreter.
That day I dismissed the class early. They, too, were ready for a break. As soon as the last member of the class was out of the room, Ricardo and Renee (the two young Mexican men who had been assigned to assist us) came in to get us. We had become close friends, even though language often limited our ability to communicate. Both men were in love with Jesus and demonstrated His love to us. They wanted us to experience the wonders of their homeland.
“Time for dinner,” Renee announced. That sounded like a good idea! In my mind, I pictured a quiet little cafe near the square in downtown Cuernavaca, where we could relax for an hour and then retire. But my idyllic vision exploded when Ricardo announced, “We have a special evening planned. We are going to Mexico City.”
My heart sank! I wanted to say no, but I did not want to offend my friends. Soon my associate and I were in the back seat of an old VW Bug; and after an hour’s drive, we came to the outskirts of the world’s largest city at the time. As we talked in a combination of limited English and more limited Spanish, Ricardo and Renee began to show us the sights. They were proud of their homeland!
Much later—after a break for dinner—we were on a walking tour in the heart of the city. My associate and I followed our two friends, with no idea where we were going.
A Lesson from Saint Francis, Painted in Color
Without warning, we made an abrupt turn into an alley and, within minutes, entered a large church. The Saturday night mass was in progress, with close to 2,000 worshipers in attendance.
I was hesitant to barge in, but our two hosts seemed unconcerned about disrupting the service. We entered the sanctuary, and there I came face to face with the most beautiful giant wall murals I had ever seen. Each enormous painting illustrated one aspect of the life of the patron saint of Mexico, St. Francis of Assisi. I forgot that we were likely interrupting worship and stared in amazement at those dramatic works of art.
To the Mexican people, St. Francis of Assisi represents just the opposite of what the materialistic world offers them today.
He was a man of great wealth and influence; but because he was passionately concerned for others, he chose to give away all he had to help meet others’ needs.
He was a man of great wealth and influence; but because he was passionately concerned for others, he chose to give away all he had to help meet others’ needs.
As I viewed the massive murals, I could not help but remember the prayer of St. Francis that sums up the spirit of this man. This prayer opens this chapter.
“Come, come, we must be going,” Ricardo’s voice brought me back to reality. He and Renee took the lead, and we walked across the front of the church and out the door as the priest was delivering his evening message to the full sanctuary of worshipers in attendance.
A Life-Changing View from the Top
We followed our guides another three or four blocks. It was then we learned that we were going for a ride—straight up to the top of the tallest building in Mexico City at the time. In minutes, our perspective on things drastically changed. Now we were looking down on the millions of city lights of the fourth-largest city in the world—from a thirty-two-story vantage point. As far as our eyes could see lights that shone like diamonds against black velvet.
Ricardo led me to a specific spot on the observation deck. As we stood together looking out into the darkness, Ricardo quietly said, “It was while standing right here that God called me to help take His Gospel to every person in my country. I gave Him my life on this spot, asking Him to use me in any way He saw fit.”
Within three minutes, I encountered two examples of the true biblical teaching of giving and receiving, a teaching that usually is greatly misunderstood. Francis of Assisi prayed that he would seek to give himself, rather than be a greedy taker. Ricardo expressed his dedication to giving his life so that Mexico might know his Savior.
As we rode the elevator back to the hustle and bustle of life on the street, I now knew why I was in Mexico City that night. God wanted me to grasp the significance of what it means to give yourself away.
The Truth About Giving That We Often Miss
Standing on that rooftop in Mexico City, hearing Ricardo’s testimony, I realized something profound—giving isn’t just about money. It’s about offering our time, our talents, and even our very lives for something greater than ourselves.
But wait! Doesn’t this giving business deal with just finances—our money? Sad to say, the vast majority of people believe that. Giving encompasses much more than being generous financially.
In our fast-paced, automated tech society, “giving” (even among Christians) has become identified almost solely with the “ol’ buck.” But according to God’s perspective, giving deals with every aspect of life. Ricardo recognized this. St. Francis of Assisi, over 800 years ago, recognized this.
Everything we have is to be given away. Too often, our bondage to material possessions and desires of the world limits us in our ability to give as we were designed to do.
What Does the Bible Actually Say About Giving?
Jesus had a lot to say about giving and receiving. He spoke more about our relationship to material possessions, time, and talents than any other topic. Of the thirty-eight recorded parables of Jesus, nineteen of them concern our use of money, property, time, skills, and our relationships with others as we deal with these God-entrusted possessions.
Other New Testament writers caught what Jesus was saying. One verse in five in the New Testament relates to this subject. Over 1,000 passages in the Bible deal with personal prosperity and the use of possessions. Are you aware that there are 1,565 Bible verses that deal with the subject of giving alone?
Why is it, then, that we are not taught more about giving? I think the key reason is confusion and misunderstanding of Scripture. Most pastors have never been schooled in the biblical basis of giving and receiving.
Somewhere along the line, the truth on stewardship became so twisted that “Stewardship Sunday” today related to “the yearly budget push.” In most churches today giving means appealing for and collecting money to fund the operation.
Are You Holding On… or Letting Go?
Saint Francis of Assisi understood it. Ricardo understood it. True giving extends beyond money—it’s about everything we have. Our time, our skills, our possessions, and ultimately, our lives.
Jesus spoke more about our relationship to money, time, and talents than almost any other topic. Yet, many of us have an incomplete understanding of what biblical generosity really looks like. Are we truly living with open hands, or are we holding back?
What about you? Is your view of giving shaped by culture and tradition—or by God’s Word?
I cover this in much more detail in Chapter 2 of Intentional Living and Giving. Grab your signed copy at LarryONan.com or order from your favorite bookseller today!
What’s one thing you can give today—beyond just money?
