Why Generous People Never Go Broke (What the Bible Really Teaches About Giving)

Key Takeaways

• Generosity isn't about losing money — it's about positioning yourself to receive more. God designed giving as a wealth-building principle, not a poverty sentence.
• Tithing is the foundation. The first 10% goes back to God before taxes, before bills, before anything — and it activates something in your financial life that math can't explain.
• Generosity transforms your character, your community, and your capacity to build wealth. It's the one investment with a guaranteed return.
• You don't have to be rich to be generous. Start where you are, give what you have, and watch God do what only He can do.

What if I told you that the wealthiest people I know — the ones who are truly free, not just rich on paper — all have one thing in common?

They give. And they give first.

Not after the bills are paid. Not after the vacation fund is topped off. Not when they "feel like it." They give first, consistently, and without hesitation.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. "Anthony, I can barely pay my rent. You want me to give money away?" I hear you. I've been there. At 25 years old, I was broke, living in my car, making payments to everybody but myself. The last thing on my mind was giving.

But here's what changed everything for me — and I mean everything. I started studying what the Bible actually says about generosity. Not what the prosperity preachers twist it into. Not what the skeptics dismiss it as. What Scripture actually teaches.

And family, it wrecked me. In the best way possible.

Today, I want to walk you through what the Bible really says about generosity, why it matters for your money, and how it became the wealth secret that most people skip right over.

Let's get to work.

Generosity Starts With God — Not With Us

Before we talk about what we should give, we need to understand where giving comes from.

Generosity is not a human invention. It's God's nature.

Think about it. God gave us life. He gave us breath. He gave us this entire world — sunsets, oceans, mountains, family, laughter. Every good thing you've ever experienced came from a generous God.

But His ultimate act of generosity? That came in the form of His Son.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 NKJV)

God didn't give because He had to. He gave because He wanted to. He gave because that's who He is at His core.

And here's what I need you to understand. When we give, we're not doing something unnatural. We're reflecting the very character of the God who made us. Generosity isn't a burden. It's a birthright.

Why God Asks for the First 10%

Real talk. This is where a lot of people get uncomfortable. But I'm not here to sugarcoat anything. I'm here to tell you the truth.

The Bible teaches that the baseline for generosity is a tithe — 10% of your income — given to your local church. This isn't a suggestion. This isn't optional for people who "have enough." This is the foundation.

"Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase." (Proverbs 3:9 NKJV)

Notice it says firstfruits. Not leftovers. Not what's remaining after you've paid your car note, your streaming subscriptions, and your DoorDash habit. The first 10% goes back to God.

Now, I know the question that's burning in your mind. "Anthony, how is giving away 10% of my money going to make me wealthier?"

Here's my honest answer. The math won't make sense. It never does. But faith moves mountains that math can't measure.

I've been tithing consistently for years now. And I can tell you — my company should not be making millions. If you asked anyone who knew my situation when I first stepped out on my own, they would have told you there's no way. But every single year, God has provided in ways I cannot explain on a spreadsheet.

I believe it's because God sees my heart. He sees that I can be trusted with more. And so He gives more.

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it." (Malachi 3:10 NKJV)

That's the only place in Scripture where God says, "Test Me." He's inviting you to try Him. That should tell you something.

Generosity Is a Way of Life — Not a One-Time Event

Here's where a lot of people miss it. They think generosity means dropping something in the offering plate on Sunday and calling it a day.

Generosity is not an event. It's a lifestyle.

"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 NKJV)

God doesn't want your money if your heart isn't in it. He's not the IRS. He's not going to punish you if you skip a Sunday. But He does want you to develop a spirit of generosity that flows through every area of your life.

That means being generous with your time. Being generous with your encouragement. Being generous with your knowledge. Being generous with your resources — even when it's inconvenient.

I was sitting at lunch with a friend of mine not too long ago. Her and her fiance. And her phone just kept going off — ding, ding, ding. She had built a digital product that was generating income while she was eating lunch. And you know what she said? "I got us. Lunch is on me."

That's the fruit of generosity. She had been generous with her time building something. She had been generous with her knowledge creating something valuable. And now her generosity was paying her back.

But it started with a heart posture. Not a bank balance.

What Generosity Does to You

Let me be straight with you. Generosity doesn't just change your bank account. It changes you.

Every time you give, something shifts inside. Your grip on money loosens. Your trust in God deepens. Your perspective on what really matters gets clearer.

I've watched this happen in my own life. There was a pastor I sat on a panel with. He was impressed that I stood my ground on tithing as a financial educator. A week later, a package showed up at my door. A $7,000 Gucci suit. He just wanted to bless me.

His church gives away $400,000 a year. Not to other organizations. To people. Paying rent. Covering car notes. Buying groceries. And I've never seen that man go broke. I've never seen him unable to provide for his family. I've never seen him struggle.

Am I saying his life is perfect? No. Am I saying mine is? Absolutely not. I got issues. I got headaches. But I've never seen God let a generous person — someone who is generous from their core — go broke.

Here's what generosity does:

• It kills selfishness. You can't be generous and selfish at the same time. Every act of giving reorients your heart toward others.
• It builds trust with God. When you give the first 10%, you're telling God, "I trust You with the other 90%." And that 90% grows because He can trust you with it.
• It opens doors. Opportunities, relationships, and blessings flow toward generous people. I've seen it too many times to call it coincidence.
• It creates legacy. Your children's children's children will benefit from the generosity you practice today. That's kingdom building. That's legacy thinking.

"But Anthony, I Can't Afford to Give Right Now"

I hear this all the time. And I want to respond with love and with truth.

You can't afford not to give.

Listen, I'm not asking you to write a $10,000 check tonight. I'm asking you to start. Start with something. If all you have is $5, give $5. If all you have is your time, volunteer at your local church this weekend.

The amount is not the point. The heart behind it is.

When I was broke, I didn't have much to give. But I gave what I could. And something shifted. Doors started opening. Opportunities started presenting themselves. My mindset changed from scarcity to abundance.

Here's what I want you to try. For the next 90 days — just three months — I want you to tithe consistently to your local church. If you don't have a church home, I want to invite you to mine. Look up Union Church. We're online. Watch Pastor Stephen and Pastor Zia Chandler. Be a part of a community that feeds your soul and your mind.

Give that tithe. Be real with God. Say, "God, I'm going to start investing back into You. I don't care what the pastor's driving. I don't care about the clothes they got on. God, I'm just going to trust Your word. I need You to show up."

Then watch what happens over those 90 days. Just watch.

How to Set Up a Generosity System

Generosity shouldn't be something you have to think about every month. It should be automatic. Here's how to build a system:

Step 1: Set up automatic tithing. Most churches have online giving. Set it up so 10% comes out before you even see it. This removes the temptation to skip it.

Step 2: Create a "Blessing Others" fund. This is separate from your tithe. Put a little money aside each month so that when God tells you to bless somebody, you can do it without checking your bank account first.

Step 3: Give beyond money. Volunteer your time. Share your skills. Mentor someone younger. Cook a meal for a neighbor. Generosity has a thousand faces.

Step 4: Teach your children. If you have kids, let them see you give. Let them participate. Generational generosity creates generational wealth. Don't just leave your kids money — leave them values.

Conclusion

Look, family — this isn't about guilt. This isn't about obligation. This is about freedom.

Generosity is the wealth secret that most people skip because it doesn't make sense on paper. But I'm living proof that it works. From broke and homeless at 25 to a net worth millionaire — and the single biggest factor wasn't a stock pick or a side hustle. It was learning to give first and trust God with the rest.

Here's what we covered today:

1. Generosity starts with God's character — He gave first, and we reflect that.
2. The tithe is the foundation — 10% off the top, before anything else.
3. Generosity is a lifestyle, not a one-time event.
4. Giving transforms your heart, your finances, and your legacy.
5. You don't need to be rich to start — you just need to start.

Here's your move: I want you to try tithing for 90 days. Set up automatic giving to your local church this week. If you don't have a church home, visit Union Church online. And start a small "Blessing Others" fund — even $20 a month.

Now I want to hear from you: Have you experienced a breakthrough after you started giving? Or are you nervous about tithing for the first time? Drop it in the comments — let's build together.

Keep building,