Book Review: "The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving"

by Lesa Brackbill

May 7, 2012

I just read the book "The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving" by Randy Alcorn and it was a powerful reminder of what the Bible says about giving. Giving is one of the most important parts of the Christian life, and it brings more joy than nearly anything else. The author discusses various topics on giving, beginning with the fact that God owns it all--we merely manage it. He points out that when we hold tightly to earthly possessions, we lose sight of what lies ahead! The Bible tells us to store up treasures in Heaven, not on earth, because we can't keep anything we gain here on earth. However, when we give to God by giving to the poor, to missions, to the local church, we are storing up treasures in Heaven that will never be destroyed.

I loved this quote: "He doesn't just look at what we give. He also looks at what we keep." (pg. 64)

Giving brings such joy and it's something that my husband and I have made a priority from day one of our marriage. This book helped me to remember why we give and how important it is to continue to give away as much as we can. We want to please God with how we manage His resources, and this book gives practical ways to do so that are biblically based.

I definitely recommend this book for every Christian. In our culture, it has become so "normal" to keep far more than we give, and we've become great at justifying why. However, that's not what God requires, and I think it is wise to dive into His Word (and use this book as a guide, as he gives tons of scripture references) to remember what He says about how we use our money.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.