We all have a little bit of understanding of what it means to live vicariously through someone else.  Some sports fans live and die with the wins and losses of their favorite team. In my neck of the woods, grown men have their whole weeks wrecked by our beloved Razorbacks. And most parents will be quick to admit that they live (at lease a little bit) through the exploits of their children.  Case and point: Facebook.  I have a shirt that I stole from my wife that says, “My Son Plays – I Brag”.  And to be honest it doesn’t matter what they do, we love to be part of their experience and call it our own.  We call that vicarious living.  But have you ever considered vicarious giving?

Have you ever considered giving of your kingdom funds to ministries who are ministering in areas you wished you could go to?  This could be your church, a para-church ministry or a non-profit or even an individual you know.  Maybe you always wished you could minister in the inner city of some major metropolitan area.  Or maybe you always wanted to be a missionary in Africa.  Or you wish you could minister to the youth of America. Or stop human trafficking. Or help orphans in a third world country. Or stamp out some disease.

Do you know that each and every one of us is limited by our geography but our impact doesn’t have to be.  If you have a ministry passion, I promise you there is someone trying to step into that void.  And if there is no one in the space, maybe you could be the answer to your own prayer and do something about it.  You can give and pray towards meeting those needs.  Next time you are praying through where God wants you to invest your giving dollars, consider doing a little VICARIOUS GIVING and see if your enthusiasm for giving doesn’t increase.

Tim Howington is Executive Vice President for Freedom 5:one and is one of our Financial Life Coaches.  He lives with his wife Terri and son Josh in Rogers Arkansas.