The Treasure Principle is a small book, a tiny hardcover that can easily slip into handbags (close to the wallet appropriately), and can easily pass for a gift book. At only 120 small format pages, it isn’t a long read, nor is it an extensive read, but when it comes to delivering concise, motivating reasoning about the role of giving in the life of a believer, it can’t be beat.
Sharing from his own experiences and that of other givers, author Randy Alcorn deftly points readers towards the kingdom benefits of giving richly to God’s work in the world today. Alcorn lays out the basis for giving – you get to store up treasures in heaven – and then proceeds to back himself up with a bit of scripture, digs into typical objections and uproots them, swoons over the joys of giving, and makes suggestions for a plan.
Alcorn is straight forward, to the point, and makes perfect sense. That could be why this slender volume has already sold over 600,000 copies. What makes that statement truly interesting is that Alcorn himself lives a modest lifestyle on minimum wage while his ministry exists to give away the rest of his royalties. Yes indeed, I like the sounds of that – a man who walks his talk.
Additionally, Alcorn doesn’t fall into the ‘prosperity gospel’ shtick or present God as a vending machine. Rather he keeps the focus on God’s ultimate ownership of our resources, and using what we have been given to glorify Him. He’s not brushing off God’s promises to bless, but he is acknowledging that it may not be in our time, according to our desires, or have much to do with us at all, really.
There are many reasons why The Treasure Principle has met with success: it’s encouraging, balanced, and accessible. If you or someone you know is looking for reasons to give and just wants a primer, a nudge in the right direction, or a gentle kick in the seat, this is a fabulous title to start with.
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