Generosity

2 Corinthians 9:7 “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. ‘For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.’”

It is a great blessing to be able to choose, for generosity can be displayed in several ways. Now, we can be cheerful givers. Whether that is offering help to family members, friends, and acquaintances, or giving to the church, the result is the same. Sometimes we buy strangers their groceries at the store. Sometimes we give freely to innumerable charities. Sometimes we support the man on the corner begging for help. It is no longer a legalistic matter of where or how much. Just give from an open heart and feel joy.

But what about the building structure and the commensurate bills? What about wages and supplies? Trust that if you are preaching the gospel, encouraging people, building them up, teaching about where Christian joy and vitality come from, God will supply your needs. Trusting in God is foundational, and the promise is that the church will stand. So, instead of calculating the details, tell people how to be spiritually successful in this life, and people will be eager to give. After all, we operate out of the overflow of what God is showing us. First, reach people’s hearts before you reach into their pocketbook.

And giving is not confined to money. We can teach people to approach everyday situations with their time. Think of the practical benefits. Now, after thoughtful instruction, do we sit in traffic, or in line at the grocery store or gas station, with feelings of impatience, irritation, anger, or resentment? How many soulless drivers do you experience, people cutting others off, tailgating, and flaring indecencies at anyone who gets in their way? Question: don’t we have time to be kind? Are we so obsessed with making it to the next red light that we do not even acknowledge the lives of those around us? Life is short, too short to be racing off to death.

Likewise, do we make time to truly listen to people, to show appreciation and respect, making them feel valued? Do we make time to serve others in their practical needs, or serve the church with our talents and abilities? Generosity is far reaching with a broad scope. It is a mindset, a way of life. Instill in people gratitude to a God who generously gives, and cheerful giving will become the norm. In the end, if you demonstrate well, people will find that they are happier giving than if they remained frugal and cheap.