In partnership with
Last week we started our year-end review in an unusual place.
Not with revenue.
With fruit.
We asked what this year produced in you before asking what it produced for you.
This week, we turn to one of the clearest places that fruit shows up.
Your giving.
For many builders, December giving looks like this:
A few last-minute gifts.
A quick look at what is left.
A conversation with the accountant about what makes sense before the year closes.
None of that is wrong.
But if that is the whole picture, giving has quietly become a line item we settle instead of a fruit we grow.
Scripture paints a very different picture.
Generosity is not a fee you pay to God. It is fruit that grows from a heart that knows Who owns everything.
The Owner Never Changed
Every serious investor knows the difference between an owner and a manager.
The owner holds the asset.
The manager is trusted to grow it according to the owner's wishes.
When King David gathered an enormous offering to build the temple, he did not celebrate how much the people had given.
He said something that reframes the entire conversation:
“For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You.” (1 Chronicles 29:14)
David understood that nothing they gave was originally theirs.
They were simply returning to the Owner a portion of what the Owner had entrusted to them.
That changes the question we ask in December.
The question is not, How much of my money should I give to God?
The question is, How much of God's money should I keep for myself?
That one shift turns giving from a loss into an act of stewardship.
Firstfruits, Not Leftovers
Proverbs 3:9 tells us to honor the Lord with our possessions and with the firstfruits of all our increase.
Firstfruits were the first part of the harvest, offered before the farmer knew how large the rest of the harvest would be.
That is what made it an act of trust.
Leftover giving says, Let me take care of everything else first, and then I will see what remains.
Firstfruits giving says, God comes first, and I trust Him with what comes after.
Most of us plan our business the first way.
We forecast revenue. We budget expenses. We plan reinvestment. We set aside taxes.
And then generosity gets whatever is left.
But the order of your plan reveals the order of your priorities.
A Kingdom-minded builder puts giving at the top of the plan, not at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
Cheerful Is Not the Same as Casual
Paul wrote, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Notice two words in that verse.
Purposes. Generous people plan. Cheerful giving is not impulsive giving. It is intentional giving that flows from a settled decision.
Cheerful. Generous people give with joy, not guilt. They are not trying to earn God's favor. They are responding to favor they have already received.
Guilt-driven giving tends to be inconsistent.
It spikes after a convicting sermon and fades when life gets busy.
Joy-driven giving is steady.
It grows over time because it is rooted in gratitude, not pressure.
Generosity Is More Than Money
Paul described the believers in Macedonia who gave beyond their means, even in extreme poverty.
But before he mentioned their money, he said this:
“They first gave themselves to the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 8:5)
Money followed surrender.
As a builder, your generosity includes your checkbook.
But it also includes:
Your time. The hour you give to mentor a younger entrepreneur.
Your expertise. The advice you offer a ministry that cannot afford a consultant.
Your access. The introduction that opens a door for someone who would never get it otherwise.
Your attention. The full presence you give your family when you could be checking your phone.
Some of the most generous leaders I know are not the ones with the largest gifts.
They are the ones who have learned to treat every resource as something to be shared.
Give Before the Year Decides for You
December has a way of making our decisions for us.
Calendars fill. Expenses rise. Deadlines stack up.
If you do not decide your giving now, the season will decide it for you.
That is why this week is the perfect time to plan, not just for the rest of this year, but for next year.
Wise stewards do not wait until the harvest is in to decide what belongs to God.
They decide before the planting begins.
Prayer
Father, everything I have comes from You. My income, my opportunities, my skills, my relationships, and even my next breath are gifts from Your hand. Forgive me for the times I have treated generosity as an afterthought or an obligation. Forgive me for giving from leftovers when You deserve my first and my best. Give me a heart that sees everything as Yours and holds it with open hands. Teach me to plan my giving with the same seriousness I bring to my business, and to give with joy instead of guilt. Show me where my time, my skills, and my resources can bless others this season. Make generosity a fruit that grows in me, not a duty I perform. Let my giving point people to You.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Kingdom Challenge: Build a Firstfruits Giving Plan
This week, set aside 30 minutes to plan your giving for next year before anything else goes on the calendar.
1. Review this year's giving honestly.
Look at what you gave, where it went, and whether it was planned or reactive.
2. Decide your firstfruits.
Choose a percentage or amount you will give first, before reinvestment or personal spending. Write it down.
3. Choose where it will go.
Your local church, ministries you believe in, and people God places in your path. Leave room for spontaneous generosity, too.
4. Name one non-financial gift.
Choose one person or ministry that will receive your time, expertise, or access next year.
5. Put it into a system.
Automate what you can. A giving plan that lives only in your head will lose to a busy December.
If giving involves tax decisions for your business, talk with a qualified tax professional. Let wisdom guide the method and gratitude guide the heart.
Declaration
Everything I have belongs to God.
I will give first, give joyfully, and give with intention, because generosity is the fruit of a heart that trusts Him.
Final Word
The widow Jesus noticed in the temple did not give the largest gift.
She gave the most meaningful one.
She gave out of trust, not out of surplus.
God has never been impressed by the size of the barn.
He looks at the heart behind the hand.
So before the year closes, decide what belongs to Him.
Plan it.
Automate it.
Enjoy it.
Next week, we will talk about finishing well: how to close the year by completing what matters instead of starting what does not.
Generosity is not what you lose. It is fruit that remains.
For the Kingdom,
Steven
Founder, The Kingdom Investor
Free email without sacrificing your privacy
Gmail is free, but you pay with your data. Proton Mail is different.
We don’t scan your messages. We don’t sell your behavior. We don’t follow you across the internet.
Proton Mail gives you full-featured, private email without surveillance or creepy profiling. It’s email that respects your time, your attention, and your boundaries.
Email doesn’t have to cost your privacy.
Need Prayer? Let’s Lift It Up Together.
We know that entrepreneurship—and life—can be filled with both mountaintop moments and valley seasons. Whatever you're walking through, you don't have to carry it alone. The Kingdom Investor community is here to pray with you and for you.
🙏 Submit your prayer request here → Submit Prayer Request
Every request is read and prayed over by our team. You are not alone.
❤️ Enjoyed this newsletter? Share it with your friends and family to spread the message of faith-driven investing and stewardship and our ministry's vision is to create a thriving, faith-driven community where every member can explore, develop, and excel in their financial and professional endeavors.
📢 Post it on your social media to inspire others.
💌 Know someone who would love this content? Forward this to them and invite them to subscribe today so they don’t miss out on future updates and resources!
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
Join Our Men’s Group: “The Narrow Way”
Ready to deepen your walk with Christ while growing in community with other purpose-driven believers?
Join The Narrow Way — a new digital and in-person Men's Group. We explore Biblical truths, practical wisdom, and faith-filled encouragement designed for entrepreneurs, professionals, and believers hungry for more of God’s presence.
Let’s walk the road less traveled — together.
Consider supporting The Kingdom Investor! Your generous giving helps us to continue offering free education, mentorship, and resources to believers seeking to align their financial lives with God’s purpose. Giving is a privilege, and it feels so good. It's hardwired in our DNA. God bless you.
CashApp: $4thekingdominvestor // Click the link to give via Card/PayPal/Venmo
P.S. Clicking the Ad below helps us out a ton!
