Faithful to Provide

If we want an example of generosity then we can look no further than God himself. And before we distance ourselves from this example because he’s our all-powerful God and we’re ordinary humans, we can take a look at the way God has given to us: He has always given out of love. It was out of his deep love for the world that he gave us Jesus. When we receive the gift of Jesus we are receiving the greatest gift of love expressed through sacrificial generosity. When we receive the gift of Jesus we are saying that we couldn’t save ourselves, that our good works are nothing but dirty rags, and that we are in desperate need of a savior.  But, often our response to the gift of Jesus is to pick up the work that God began and try to finish it on our own. We turn to our own “good” works and the world’s definition of a full life. We forget that “every good and perfect gift” comes from God (James 1:17, NIV) and, instead, claim our gifts, talents, abilities, and successes as our own. When we start separating things in our lives as “mine” and “God’s” we close our fists around what we think we earned and chase after what we think we deserve. We forget the sacrificial generosity of God and trade it for the fleeting pleasures of this world. Sometimes we have to lose everything to be awakened to the reality that Job voices: “‘Naked I came form my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised’” (Job 1:21, NIV). Sometimes we simply need a reminder from the Lord that he is the only giver of all that is good. Let us wake up each day, looking to Jesus as a reminder that God’s love was expressed through sacrificial generosity. Let us humbly receive that gift and joyfully respond in the same love towards others. Reflection/Discussion Question: Take time to reflect on the gifts the Lord has given you. Give thanks to God. Then, decide how you might implement this habit of reflecting on the generosity of God in your every day routine.

We cannot expect to be generous people without first being grateful people. When you are filled with gratitude for what God has done in your life, you will overflow with generosity towards others. On the opposite side, if you are full of selfishness, greed will determine your actions. If you are ungrateful, you will expect more for yourself instead of giving to others.  The more grateful you are for who God is and what he does in your life, the more generosity will come naturally. Anyone can give out of duty or obligation—this is not true generosity. Often, this happens when Christians attempt generosity in their own power. They tithe the “right” percent or line up automatic withdrawals to specific ministries or charities. Giving becomes thoughtless. It is possible to give a lot without being truly generous.  Generous people are joyful people. They are not self-righteous or self-absorbed. They claim nothing as their own and hold all things loosely. They are not full of greed nor are they entitled. They are free of the constant striving for more and endless search for contentment in what the world offers.  Generous people don’t wait until they have enough for themselves before freely giving to others. You will not have the ability to be more generous when you have more money, time, or resources. Generosity is not about the amount that you give, but the posture in which you give. It’s the mindset that you have been given so much in God’s grace that you can’t help but freely give in response. Reflection/Discussion Question: What holds you back from being generous?