Why are we generous?
What does it mean to you to be generous? Is it writing a cheque to your local church or charity? Maybe it is paying for coffee with a friend or inviting people over for dinner. The reality is we all have different perspectives on what it means to be generous, but have you ever thought about generosity in the context of the Great Commission?
The Great Commission were the words from Jesus encouraging us to make disciples, baptize them, teach them to observe all things Jesus commanded us. Generosity is an extension of this Great Commission.
Our money has a purpose, it is a tool to bring the kingdom of God here on earth. When we see the poor, the sick, the hungry, the broken and the needy providing for them is part of commands of Christ.
Sometimes we face fear, fear that what we have isn’t good enough or that God will ask us to do things which are beyond our ability to say yes. But perfect love casts out fear and our task is to live in each and every moment looking for the places where our money can meet up with God’s purposes to bring people hope and freedom.
He wants us all to be Good Samaritans who are willing to pay whatever it takes to make sure that strangers who suffer have their needs met. Meeting God in his kingdom will cost us money, but this freedom to give without expecting a return is the exciting part of generosity.
Generosity doesn’t have to be expensive, it doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be buying coffee for that friend you are visiting with or paying for someone’s meal when you go out to dinner. Generosity comes in all shapes and sizes and colours and we don’t need to limit ourselves or God by defining the boundaries or qualifications of generosity.
Thankfulness and compassion are the most central features of generosity which allow for a generous heart to grow and we need to practice cultivating these aspects of our hearts to produce a generous lifestyle. When we are thankful we recognize our own abundance. Paired with compassion we see the needs of those around us and are prompted to be generous in our own abundance.
Here are some practical ways you can cultivate a heart of generosity which isn’t limited by a limited income.
- Create a “Kingdom” account where you save money for any needs you see. This way when you see a friend, neighbour or stranger in need you have already saved money to give away and there is no stress or pressure about whether you can afford to give or not.
- Give up your daily coffee and transfer $3.00 a day into your kingdom account. This is $21.00 a week, or $1,000 a year. You might not think you have that much margin, but we challenge you to try it and surprise yourself!
- Ask God daily to “Where are you building your kingdom today? Where can I join you in this?” Make this a habitual question and attitude to move you into an attitude of generosity.
God wants us to be arrested by the needs of others. A Kingdom account or this intentional saving is simply one tool to allow us to respond when needs arise before us. This allows us to be generous with confidence that we are able to do so.