Givers Never Lack: A Balannced Critical Analysis of Father Olouma’s Message on Giving!
- Christian Family Home Fellowship
- Sep 22, 2024
- 7 min read
Father Olouma’s message offers a critical and nuanced view on the common saying "givers never lack," challenging the mindset that generosity guarantees financial or material success. While his message emphasizes the importance of discretion in giving and detaches it from the expectation of material reward, a response from a thoughtful reader of Fada Olouma and a member of the Christian Family Home Fellowship presents a compelling counterpoint that deserves further exploration.
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So there is a saying that givers never lack. So I want to ask you, do givers really not lack? So I want to put it the other way around. Givers actually lack.
Or let me put it another way. Giving does not necessarily make you rich. Take for example the widow that Jesus praised in the gospel.
Did you hear that she became wealthy because of giving? And if you read the 1 Corinthians chapter 8, it is talking about the Macedonians in their intense poverty. They were still generous. Despite their intense poverty, they were still generous.
That means giving did not change their situation. But the joy of the Lord overflowed from their heart and they supported. So givers can lack.
And that is why it is good to know how to give with discretion. The church is not a Ponzi scheme where you give 100,000 today and you receive 500,000 tomorrow. It does not work like that with God.
So somebody did an experiment. I read it in a book written by Adam Grant. I think the name of the book is Rethink or Think Twice or something like that.
I can't remember the title right now. Where a research was made and discovered that as much people who give and succeed, there are also as much people who give and they do not succeed. So what is different between those who give and succeed and those who give and they don't succeed? Those who give and succeed, they know when to give and when to take.
They know how to give and how to take. So they know when to give and when to take a break from giving. So don't take your capital.
Don't give your capital. You have a capital in business, you go and give it in the church so that God will multiply it and all of that. This is you giving what you shouldn't give.
Don't think that donating your capital, sowing your capital as a seed in a church will make some divine multiplication to happen for you. It doesn't happen like that. So support your church, support every noble cause you can.
But remember that what you give is like a fruit. It's from your profits, from your food. Don't use your capital.
Invest in the right things and all of that. Some people also, there are some Christians who are in the habit of, they believe, they say scatter your seed. So this ministry comes up today, you put something there.
Another ministry comes up, you put there. Or you take more than 20 ministries, you just share and put, hoping that if miracle doesn't happen from one, it will happen from this. Let me tell you, if you have siblings who are doing business, even if it is roadside chaos they have, you know, all those little, little money you are scattering, which is superstitious belief that if miracle doesn't happen from this, it will happen to this other one.
Go and put it in their business. Give it to them as loan. I'm giving you this 50,000.
Repay me small, small. Your own siblings, people you can trust. If you do that, you are going to help their business and you are also going to multiply your income.
Then, when it is necessary, support your church. When it is necessary, support your church. When it is necessary, support every good cause.
You are giving because God has blessed you and you are giving for a just cause. And God will still bless you more. But if you go with the mentality that once you put this, tomorrow God will make it to become that and all that.
I think that's not a very good idea for giving. Give and you shall be given. If we measure praise and shaking together, running over shall be placed on your lap.
God can give you in different ways. If you give God money, He doesn't necessarily have to multiply your money. He can give you that blessing in very many other ways.
You never can tell. So, always have the mindset to give as appreciation because I can give and this cause is good. So, know when to give and know when to take.
Know how to give and know how to take. May God bless you and bless your giving. Amen.
Appreciating the Core Message
Father Olouma’s video and accompanying post are commendable for their intention to shift the focus from transactional giving—where one expects a return in exchange for their offering—to a more spiritual and selfless approach. He rightly points out that the church should not be seen as a Ponzi scheme where donations result in immediate financial multiplication. His emphasis on the need for balance, discretion, and thoughtful giving resonates with those in Christian Family Home Fellowship who understand that stewardship involves making wise decisions about where and how to invest resources.
The idea that giving should be done with wisdom, and that one should not give their capital, is sound advice for those who may be misled into thinking that reckless donations will bring instant returns. Olouma cautions against a superstitious or scattergun approach to giving, encouraging Christians to support their families and local businesses in ways that are productive and responsible. His overall message promotes the idea that God's blessings come in different forms, not only in material wealth but also in spiritual fulfillment and other unexpected ways.
A Fellowship Member’s Perspective on “Givers Never Lack”
A member of the Christian Family Home Fellowship, however, raises an important issue: the interpretation of the phrase "givers never lack." The member argues that the saying does not necessarily imply that givers will always receive material wealth in return for their generosity. Instead, it suggests that true givers—those who give from a heart of generosity—are constantly filled with something to offer, be it material resources, love, or spiritual blessings.
The member acknowledges Father Olouma’s efforts to discourage the mindset of giving for material gain and appreciates the thoughtful approach. However, they point out that Olouma may have misinterpreted the popular phrase in the context of his discussion. The statement "givers never lack" was likely never meant to promote a transactional relationship between giving and receiving, but rather to reflect the abundant nature of a generous heart. In fact, the member notes that Olouma himself touches on this point earlier in his message, where he acknowledges that givers experience joy and fulfillment that are not necessarily tied to material outcomes.
Reconsidering the Phrase in Context
The fellowship member’s argument prompts a reexamination of the phrase “givers never lack.” It seems that the true essence of the saying aligns more with the idea that a person who is generous will always have something—whether spiritual or material—to share with others. This interpretation focuses on the internal state of abundance that comes from giving, rather than the external accumulation of wealth or resources.
Father Olouma’s post, by contrast, appears to use the phrase as a springboard to critique the modern prosperity gospel or the idea that giving will automatically lead to financial prosperity. While his critique is valid in light of the misuse of giving as a transactional practice, the Servant at Chriatian Family Home Fellowship suggests that the original meaning of "givers never lack" does not actually promote this flawed mindset. Instead, it speaks to the spiritual principle that a generous heart is always full, not necessarily in material terms, but in the capacity to give and share.
Balancing Both Perspectives
There is room to reconcile Father Olouma’s critical stance with that of Servant Nkengacha's interpretation. While Olouma rightly warns against expecting financial gain from giving, he could acknowledge that the phrase "givers never lack" does not necessarily contradict this point. If understood in its truest sense, the phrase encourages continuous generosity based on a sense of spiritual abundance, not material expectation.
By focusing too heavily on the financial aspect of giving, Father Olouma’s post may have unintentionally framed the saying in a way that requires correction. However, the fellowship member’s perspective highlights the fact that generosity, in its purest form, is not about what one gets back but about the fulfillment that comes from giving itself. This fulfillment can manifest in various ways—spiritual joy, a sense of purpose, or even the ongoing ability to give.
The Importance of Intentional Giving
Father Olouma’s warning against giving with the wrong mindset remains an important lesson, even if the phrase “givers never lack” is reinterpreted. Many individuals are indeed misled by the belief that financial giving will lead to financial reward, which leads to poor financial decisions. His advice to avoid giving one’s capital or essential resources is particularly relevant in Christian Family Home Fellowship, where members often value wise stewardship of their resources.
However, the heart of his message aligns with the fellowship member’s point: giving should flow from a place of appreciation for what one has already received from God. Whether this giving is material or spiritual, the act itself is what matters, not the expectation of returns.
Conclusion
Father Olouma’s post addresses the dangers of giving with an expectation of financial reward, which is an important message for those influenced by prosperity gospel teachings. However, the Christian Family Home Fellowship member’s thoughtful response suggests that the phrase "givers never lack" might not be the best example to illustrate this critique. The saying, in its original meaning, aligns more with the spiritual principle that generosity flows from an abundant heart, not from a place of material expectation.
By balancing both perspectives, we can appreciate that giving is not about what one gains in return but about the fulfillment and joy that comes from contributing to others. Father Olouma’s message, when viewed through this lens, remains a valuable reminder to give wisely and with the right heart, while also affirming that true givers—those who give out of love and abundance—will indeed never lack.
Who is Fada Olouma?
Rev. Fr. John Chinenye Oluoma, known as Fada Oluoma is a Priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja. He is also a teacher, a musician, writer, and a footballer.
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