THE POWER OF GENEROSITY
The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
Proverbs 22:9 (NIV)
Giving resources isn’t the goal. You can give out of obligation and duty, but Jesus doesn’t want that. I have said before that you can give and not love, but you can’t love and not give. The goal is generosity that flows from a loving heart. We’re reminded in 1 John 4:19 (NIV) that we love because He first loved us. This is the same with generosity. We give because He first gave to us. This keeps our hearts and souls in a healthy place. If you struggle with giving, start giving; over time, you will move to a spirit of generosity. For years, I reluctantly gave, which I still would say is better than not giving. People sometimes use waiting to give until they feel like it as an excuse; however, the problem is that feelings can't trump our faithfulness. Jesus didn’t feel like going to the cross, but He was faithful.
There should be a point in our discipleship where we move from giving out of obligation to giving in the overflow of the Spirit. The key to this is drawing near to Christ. You can read the Bible and have your heart completely disconnected. You can go to church and be disconnected, and you can give and be disconnected entirely. I would never say don’t read the Bible, don't show up to church, or only give if you don’t feel it, but I would say ask the Spirit to provide you with a passion for those things. Ask Him to make you hungry for His kingdom. Ask Him for a spirit of generosity that drives you to live for Him. There are days you will feel it, and there are days you won't, but keep pressing in, and the Spirit will faithfully transform you. Your job is to show up and be fully present. When that happens, God will fulfill the work He started in you.
As the verse mentions above, God’s impact on you will impact others. Notice that it says that they share their food with the poor. One of the signs of generosity is that it spills over to other people. You realize you have been blessed to bless others. You have been loved to love others. You have been served to serve others. This is the spirit of generosity, and this is the goal. For Jesus, generosity was as natural as breathing; it was just a way of life. This is how we are called to live. Getting there may take some time, but that’s okay; just be faithful each day.
APPLICATION:
Choose to be faithful, even when you don’t feel it, and God will turn that into generosity.
PRAYER:
Ask the Holy Spirit to make you more others-aware than self-aware. When Jesus walked into a room, He saw people and their needs. Ask the Spirit to help you do the same.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?