Early on in ministry, people told me that I needed to charge. They said, “You are giving a lot of your time and gifts to help God’s people grow in their faith.” My husband used to say that I’m not a very good business person because I give away more than I get. I’ve always told him and others that I do not do this for money, accolades, or for rewards. I operate this ministry with the philosophy that I would never want people to not study God’s Word because they can’t afford it. In that, though, I ask God for wisdom because I know people (even Christians) will take advantage of my kind heart. Here’s the thing… One thing that should be evident in God’s people is GENEROSITY! So, let’s discuss this for a minute.
The question becomes… why should I be generous? I mean, the world we live in is greedy, right? And often a generous heart can be taken advantage of. And… I’ve worked hard for what I have and I only have a little window of time, so I need to cherish it. What we often forget is that what we have (EVERYTHING) has been given to us by God. You may not think you’re blessed, but you are. And the most important thing to remember is that Jesus was generous to us. Jesus gave His life for us… He gave up the glories of heaven to come here so that you and I could live. I would say that’s the most generous thing ever given to us.
Now that we have the foundation for generosity put in place, let’s examine three specific things about generosity… 1) Being generous is a biblical mandate! Solomon – the wisest man to walk this earth apart from Christ – spoke about it often in the Proverbs. Jesus talked about it (Luke 6:38). And the New Testament writers spoke about it. The apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “You must each decide in your heart how much to give.” And the writer of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 13:16: “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need.”
2) Generosity isn’t just about money! Biblically speaking, we are just told to give. Of course, money can be one way, but generosity can be manifested in many ways: our time, our material resources, our hospitality, our friendship. Maybe we can give a listening ear, a few hours to sit with a sick person, taking a meal to someone in need, a night to host a get-together. There are many ways to exhibit generosity.
3) Generosity does not expect anything in return! This is a hard one sometimes, right? Think about it, though… were we able to reciprocate what Jesus gave to us? NO! What we can give to Him in return is our love, obedience, and devotion. But do those things equal His generosity? NO! Jesus tells His listeners in Luke 14:12-13: “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet, don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” In other words, make sure your generosity goes to those who CANNOT or WILL NOT pay you back.
Jesus goes on in this message to say in Luke 14:14: “Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” Hence, if you exhibit biblical generosity, you WILL be rewarded one day. And I’m pretty sure those rewards will be far grander than any earthly reward.
So, let me encourage you today to ask God who you can show great generosity to. This message has pierced my heart. Maybe it’s done the same to you.