Generosity
Key verse
Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 1 Corinthians 9:8
Generosity is one of the top five attributes of the greatest Christians in history. It is even an attribute the world commends. Generosity is beyond money or things—we can give with our health, strength, peace, joy, family, and love. Yet often, a person knows money and generosity coincide together.
Money is a frequent subject in the Bible. The words “believe,” “pray,” and “love” occur 272 times, 371 times, and 714 times, respectively. Comparatively, the word “give” occurs 2,162 times. Jesus used 16 of His 38 parables to discuss money. When people say they desire a church that refuses to speak about money, they are desiring an unbalanced church.
Isaiah 32:8 says, “But a generous man devises generous things, and by generosity he shall stand.” To devise generous things, you must plan generosity and look for opportunities. Generosity is about impact. Your generosity impacts at-risk children.
To devise generous things, you must plan generosity and look for opportunities.
Generosity is about influence—the influence to change, help, and bring good news. We serve a generous God, one who is generous, so we are generous.
Have you ever had your generosity challenged or tested? If at church, I said, “Everyone, get out your wallets, billfolds, checkbooks, debit cards, credit cards, or whatever else you use. Take that leather temple and hold it. Now, hand it to the person next to you.”
Some people would hesitate. Others would hand it one way instead of the other. Some wouldn’t move at all. Why? Trust.
How you trust God financially determines your future. And it’s not just your money; it enriches every part of your life. We are to give and be generous in proportion to what we have received and what we can believe.
Prayer
God, make me a generous person. Give me the opportunity to be generous this week. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Ask Yourself:
In what areas could I become more generous?
What did I feel in my heart the last time I was generous?
What areas of my life are the hardest for me to trust God?
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