The Gift of Generosity…
08/14/22
This Sunday we started our generosity series looking at the Macedonian churches. These churches were honored by Paul for their overwhelming joy and generosity, despite living in “extreme poverty.” This is such a testament to their faithfulness and their humility. And it got me thinking… What examples have made the most impact on the way I view generosity?
For me, it’s looking back on some of our neighbors. One of our neighbors, who lived in an aging multifamily behind us, identified herself as both the neighborhood watch and neighborhood grandma. She worked a job as a care giver, cared for her grandkids, and always had some care left in her tank for her neighbors. Speaking of gas tanks, she was also one of many people in our community that could often not afford the upkeep and repairs on her vehicle. She would need to ask for rides to get her essentials. But on those trips, she never hesitated to find a toy or candy to give to our kids. She loved finding something small to make them feel loved and cared for, regardless of the personal cost.
Then there was our other neighbor, a mom of two teenagers living in another tiny rental. She had medical conditions and injuries from a past relationship that prevented access to much of life we take for granted. And yet, she was generous. Her boyfriend was also always the guy outside fixing bikes for kids and trying to keep them out of trouble. Their generosity went beyond just hellos and bike repairs. I’ll never forget when they found out it was our daughter’s birthday and they quickly rummaged around her purse for a $5 bill. “Go get yourself some ice cream for your birthday baby.”
I don’t share those stories out of a place of pride, self-advertising, or even shame… I share these stories because these are the moments that have rocked my view of generosity. The moments that left me shocked by the kindness of another. It’s easy to meet these moments with “I don’t need you to do that” or “That is not what you should be doing with your money, you need it”. But, that’s not how Christlike generosity works. It’s in those moments that God speaks to us with both a gift and a challenge.
These stories of generosity point me back to the story of the widow and the coins found in the Gospels:
“He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; 2 he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them, 4 for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”” Luke 21:1-4
Jesus wanted His followers (us) to recognize what a heart of generosity looks like. This widow (and my neighbors) didn’t give to skirt guilt or to justify greed, they gave because they saw life itself as a gift and an opportunity to give. To give from poverty means one must have faith to know that what we have is God’s as He will provide as we continue to give.
The economics of the widow or the Macedonian churches don’t make sense in our culture. We sometimes praise charity based on size, but not necessarily by scale. The truth is one can donate out of excess without love. It becomes much more difficult to give out of one’s poverty without love.
Am I saying the answer is we should all scoff at those with excess? No. Am I saying we should idolize poverty? No. The Bible reveals that we should let the Kingdom economics of Jesus be our examples, not the world’s. Look to examples of generosity that reflect what we see highlighted in Scripture, not Forbes.
We are blessed with seeing the Kingdom of God when we take the posture of meekness and humility. When we accept the generosity of others and accept the challenge to model it in return. When we start to see everything as a gift, to both receive and give away, we understand Kingdom generosity.
So, who is the most generous person you know? What are the most impactful acts of generosity you have personally seen or experienced?
Thank you for being the church. Thank you to everyone that makes the decision to live by faith and be generous with their time and their resources. God moves through your generosity and touches all our lives. No matter the size of what is given, it is the heart of generosity that reveals the love of Jesus and the blessings of His Kingdom.