Exo 36:1 “Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom the LORD has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded.” And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do.”So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.
This shows how blessed giving can be when free from human manipulation and tricks. Willing hearts will always give enough as God blesses the work. “When the heart is truly stirred, and the spirit makes willing, giving is robbed of all meanness; indeed, it ceases to be calculating. Nothing is too precious to be given, no amount is too great.” This also shows that Moses and the planners of the work knew how much was enough. The job was organized and planned to the extent that they understood what they needed, and when they had more than enough. When God’s people are asked to give to something, they should expect that it be well organized, planned, and managed. Moses showed great integrity by not gathering more than the project needed. God told him to take an offering for the building of a tabernacle, and when the tabernacle was provided for the offering was over. The purpose wasn’t to amass endless resources, but to properly put those resources into action. “It must have been both a disappointment and a frustration to those who had delayed their gifts because they could not bear to part with their treasures, and who now found that God had no further need of them. His work was finished, but they had excluded themselves from any share in it: God deliver us from such a frustration.” (Guzik)
It is hard to say which is most to be wondered at, the great liberality of the people in contributing so freely and bountifully, and continuing to do so without being urged, or even asked; or the honesty of the workmen, one and all, who might have gone on to have received the gifts of the people by the hands of Moses, and what was superfluous might have converted to their own use; but instead of this, they agree as one man to let Moses know how the state of things was and prevent the people from making any more contributions. (Gill)
Obviously there are ministries that think too small and others that think too big. When God is leading them to expand they say no more, and when they should be stopping they are saying more, more. Such it will be when God is not the true leader in their decisions. This can happen to anyone when the blessings of giving are abundant or lacking. When is the last time you have ever heard a ministry say that is enough? We have met our goal. Please do not send us any more. Is it because of the lack of giving that these goals are not met? Is it because the goal is man’s and not God’s will? Is it because people are not generous? Is it because of man’s desire to do that which God has not called them to do? Is it because people do not have reverence for God and their hearts and ears are closed to the leading of the Holy Spirit in Giving? I would have to say it is a combination of all of these. It is crucial that we have desiring ears to hear the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit and a godly desire to be ever-increasing in our generosity. Too often there is a lack of wisdom to understand the blessings of giving and being prepared by setting aside gifts for opportunities to give when needs arise and the Holy Spirit’s wisdom to discern that which is of God and that which is of man’s design, but surely it is each person’s responsibility to give, be prepared to give, and do it generously.
