Why Generosity Should Be at the Heart of Every Christian Life
Think about how a child's face lights up when they receive the perfect gift. You know that feeling as a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle when you've picked out something special, and you can't wait to see their joy. Now imagine that same desire to give good gifts magnified infinitely. That's the heart of God toward you and me.
God's Heart is Fundamentally Generous
In Matthew 7:9-12, during his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us this beautiful picture: "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
You know how to give good gifts to children in your life because you know them and love them, and you're excited to give them good gifts! You don't give begrudgingly or out of obligation. It gives you joy to see their joy when they receive a gift you've picked out just for them.
The same desire that makes a parent want to give the very best gifts to the children they love is also the deepest desire of the heart of God. God is fundamentally generous. That's why you're here in the first place! Everything good in your life starts with God's longing to love you and give you the very best God has to offer.
Everything We Have is a Gift from God
Here's a truth that changes everything: Everything belongs to God, so everything I have is a gift from God. As Psalm 24:1-2 reminds us, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters."
James 1:17 affirms that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
What are those good, even perfect, gifts that God has given you? We can put them into three broad categories: Time, Talent, and Treasure. Every single day of your life is a precious gift from God! All of the talents and abilities you possess are also gifts from God. And the material resources God has given to each one of us serve a greater purpose in God's economy.
Generosity Forms Our Heart to Be Like God's Heart
Here's what many people miss: Generosity is not a matter of how little or how much we can give. Generosity is a matter of the heart. God doesn't need you to give back everything God has given to you, but there's one thing God wants most of all that God won't have unless you give it to him, and that's your heart.
Jesus illustrated this beautifully in Mark 12:41-44 when he watched people bringing their offerings to the Temple. Many rich people put in large amounts, but Jesus called his disciples' attention to a poor widow who "dropped in two small coins." He said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:21 that "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." We will invest what is most valuable to us – our time, talent, and treasure – in the things our hearts desire most.
The Promise of Generous Living
Paul gives us this agricultural principle in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: "Remember this: a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop."
And Jesus promises in Luke 6:38: "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Putting It Into Practice
When you live to give, you can trust God to always provide, and you can trust that you will gain more than you give.
Ask yourself: "Do I trust God to provide for my needs more than I trust myself?"
Identify one way you can be generous with your time, talent, or treasure this week
Remember that learning to trust God more than we trust ourselves is a lifelong journey
Let's be people who trust that we can be generous because God is generous, and we can never give more than what God will provide for us in return. Let's live to give so that needs will be met and God will be glorified in everything we do!
Reflection
When you think about the children in your life whom you love, how does it feel to give them gifts? How does this help you understand God's heart toward you?
Jesus said, "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." Where is your treasure currently going, and what does that reveal about your heart's desires?
In what ways has God been generous to you with gifts of time, talent, and treasure? How might God be calling you to share those gifts with others?
What fears or insecurities hold you back from being more generous? How can you trust God more than you trust yourself to provide for your needs?
Application
This week, identify one specific way you can "live to give" in each of these three areas:
Time: Schedule time to serve someone else or volunteer for a cause you care about
Talent: Use a skill or ability God has given you to bless someone else or advance God’s kingdom
Treasure: Give financially to meet someone's need or support God's work, trusting him to provide for you
Ask God to show you what generous giving looks like for you in this season and take that step in faith.
Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for being fundamentally generous. Thank you for the gift of life, for your Son Jesus, and for all the ways you provide for me daily. Help me to remember that everything I have, my time, talents, and treasure, are gifts from you. Form my heart to be like yours, generous and trusting. Show me specific ways I can live to give this week, and help me trust that when I sow generously, you will provide abundantly. May my generosity bring glory to you and meet the needs of others. Give me a heart that gives cheerfully, knowing that you love me and will always provide what I need. In Jesus' name, Amen
