Dangerous Generosity
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed. - Proverbs 19:17
One thing that I believe to be true is that you never regret being generous. It's kind of a weird thing, but it's always been true for me.
Generosity can look like a lot of different things. It can look like giving to the church, giving to a family member in need, giving to a charity, or giving to a panhandling homeless person.
The other day, I was exiting the freeway and pulling up to the stoplight at the exit. I noticed a guy get out of his work truck in the lane next to me and start going through his lunchbox. I assumed that he was just going to get some food for himself, and that he was just hangry or something since this was a super weird place to get your lunch. Then as I kept pulling forward I noticed a homeless man sitting there with a sign. I immediately felt joy in my heart.
This man who was at work was willing to give up his lunch for a guy that didn't have any food. This guy was probably a hard worker, and was probably going to be hungry when it was time for lunch. That didn't seem to matter much though. He had generosity in his heart.
Generosity in those moments is kind of weird. You know the feeling. Sometimes you feel like you "can't not" give, and others there is zero desire...none.
So, my question is, it generous if you give out of guilt? It's not. Is it generous if you share your lunch because you feel like you "have to"? I don't think so.
It seems that this is what Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. Generosity comes from the heart. And it is prompted by the work of the Holy Spirit. That's why sometimes you feel like you want to give and other times you don't. Go read that passage. It's pretty amazing.
My challenge is this. Do you give in response to God's generosity towards you? He has been eternally generous towards you without asking anything in return. Is that how you give? The Bible is clear that it's that kind of giving that pleases God.
This holiday season we will all be in positions to be generous with how God has blessed us. It's a good time to reflect on just how generous God has been towards you.
I'm going to give you two prayers that are dangerous and challenging. 1) Pray that God would open your eyes to see the way that He sees. 2) Pray that God would give you opportunities to be generous with what you have.
Those are bold prayers that rely on Him more than yourself. But I promise that if you pray those prayers and are generous this season, you won't regret it.
Love you, church.
By His Grace,
Charlie
One thing that I believe to be true is that you never regret being generous. It's kind of a weird thing, but it's always been true for me.
Generosity can look like a lot of different things. It can look like giving to the church, giving to a family member in need, giving to a charity, or giving to a panhandling homeless person.
The other day, I was exiting the freeway and pulling up to the stoplight at the exit. I noticed a guy get out of his work truck in the lane next to me and start going through his lunchbox. I assumed that he was just going to get some food for himself, and that he was just hangry or something since this was a super weird place to get your lunch. Then as I kept pulling forward I noticed a homeless man sitting there with a sign. I immediately felt joy in my heart.
This man who was at work was willing to give up his lunch for a guy that didn't have any food. This guy was probably a hard worker, and was probably going to be hungry when it was time for lunch. That didn't seem to matter much though. He had generosity in his heart.
Generosity in those moments is kind of weird. You know the feeling. Sometimes you feel like you "can't not" give, and others there is zero desire...none.
So, my question is, it generous if you give out of guilt? It's not. Is it generous if you share your lunch because you feel like you "have to"? I don't think so.
It seems that this is what Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. Generosity comes from the heart. And it is prompted by the work of the Holy Spirit. That's why sometimes you feel like you want to give and other times you don't. Go read that passage. It's pretty amazing.
My challenge is this. Do you give in response to God's generosity towards you? He has been eternally generous towards you without asking anything in return. Is that how you give? The Bible is clear that it's that kind of giving that pleases God.
This holiday season we will all be in positions to be generous with how God has blessed us. It's a good time to reflect on just how generous God has been towards you.
I'm going to give you two prayers that are dangerous and challenging. 1) Pray that God would open your eyes to see the way that He sees. 2) Pray that God would give you opportunities to be generous with what you have.
Those are bold prayers that rely on Him more than yourself. But I promise that if you pray those prayers and are generous this season, you won't regret it.
Love you, church.
By His Grace,
Charlie
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