I have said before that I had a great home growing up. My parents were devoted followers of Christ and taught me how to love him as well. However, if you look at my childhood with the measuring stick of this world, it wasn’t all that great.
My dad was a hard worker but lacked the education and training to pursue good paying jobs. Mom would babysit for working mothers in our community, but never held a job outside our home. All this to say we were extremely challenged financially. I can remember some days not wanting to sit near kids at lunch in elementary school because I didn’t want them to see my lunch consisted only of a piece of bread and butter and maybe a carrot stick. When I was in middle school, I had a girl ask me why I wore the same shirt to church every Sunday. My answer was simple, it was the only nice shirt I had.
I don’t tell you this for sympathy, but to make an important point. Even though we had little, my parents taught me what it means to be generous. We were in church every Sunday and I always saw Dad put in his offering envelop with ten percent of his weekly wage inside. But his modeling of generosity went far beyond his giving to God’s work. If someone needed a project done on their home, Dad was there. I witnessed Mom and Dad refinance their home because they wanted to help someone with a financial need. This may not be the best financial practice, but I saw the blessing of generosity in their lives.
Scripture tells us that men of God are generous. This is an evidence of the presence of God’s Holy Spirit in them. In 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, we are taught, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” This does speak to giving to the ministry of the church, but it goes far beyond this act of obedience.
Although many believers cheerfully give to the Lord, some people put their offering in the box out of necessity or obligation. This is not generosity, it is legalism. At times, this attitude slips into our Monday to Saturday lives as well.
Generosity is a characteristic that is best defined in our interaction with others in this world. When God says to give generously, it doesn’t stop at the offering box. Look at your attitude when you need to pay the mechanic or the plumber. Are these causes for grumbling, or do you see an opportunity to be an answer to their need to provide for their families. Here is a big one. What does the waitress think of your tip when you leave the restaurant? I have spoken to waitresses who hate working Sunday’s because “church people” are the worst tippers. That’s wrong. That does not represent our Lord and his church well. To repair this requires that we understand that true generosity involves not only what we give, but also how and why we give to others.
What makes this characteristic so vital for a man of God. Again, we go to 2 Corinthians for the answer. Verses 14-15 says, “And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” God’s gift of grace which provides our salvation cost him everything. The indescribable gift was the very life of his perfect, sinless Son who took the punishment I deserved for my sin. We can model this to a lost world by giving of our time, talent, and treasure with love and concern for people. This may mean I have a little less for myself, but it may open the door for someone to receive this indescribable gift of salvation.