Generosity Encouraged!

Reflection:  One of the reasons for Paul’s 2^nd letter to the Corinthians was to remind them of the generous gift they had promised to give the financially challenged “mother church” in Jerusalem.  They had made a promise to give a certain amount, and now Paul is double checking to make sure they are ready to follow through on what they said they would do.  We see some of his most practical and honest writing, when he tells them to make sure to be prepared when he gets there with the offering, because he would not want to be embarrassed in front of the Macedonians, who he was bringing with him.   Then he reminds them of why generosity is to be encouraged when he writes:

Generosity Encouraged

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”

In this short and compacted paragraph we have probably the best teaching on giving and generosity in the whole bible.  There are several principles for us to consider as we think about the level of generosity we display in our lives for God’s work through the Church and other avenues.  Here are some of those principles in a nutshell:

1.      Give Generously – There is a law out there that as we are generous it comes back to us so we can be more generous.  Although you might not be able to prove it on a whiteboard, it is truth affirmed in the bible that I have seen throughout my life and in the lives of others. 

2.      Give Freely – God has enough, he doesn’t need your gift, but as you give freely you are responding to the free gift He has given you.  We can never out-give God, and we should never feel pressured to give.  This is the wrong motivation for giving. Giving freely frees us from “materialism” one of the gods of this age.

3.      God Multiplies Our Generosity –If we truly believe God is the one who supplies for our every need, at the heart of giving generously is trusting God’s will to continue to give us what we need. In fact in this passage God promises abundance!  Generous giving leads to an abundance mentality in every area of our lives. 

Where does Generosity need to be encouraged in your life?  As you remember these principles generosity can become a joyful part of your life, where God frees you up to be used powerfully in His kingdom coming to earth as it is in heaven. 

Psalm 72:12-20

¹² For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
    the afflicted who have no one to help.
¹³ He will take pity on the weak and the needy
    and save the needy from death.
¹⁴ He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
    for precious is their blood in his sight.

¹⁵ Long may he live!
    May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
    and bless him all day long.
¹⁶ May grain abound throughout the land;
    on the tops of the hills may it sway.
May the crops flourish like Lebanon
    and thrive like the grass of the field.
¹⁷ May his name endure forever;
    may it continue as long as the sun.

Then all nations will be blessed through him,
    and they will call him blessed.

¹⁸ Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,
    who alone does marvelous deeds.
¹⁹ Praise be to his glorious name forever;
    may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen and Amen.

²⁰ This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.

Proverbs 28

The wicked flee though no one pursues,
    but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

² When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
    but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

³ A ruler who oppresses the poor
    is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

⁴ Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
    but those who heed it resist them.

⁵ Evildoers do not understand what is right,
    but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

⁶ Better the poor whose walk is blameless
    than the rich whose ways are perverse.

⁷ A discerning son heeds instruction,
    but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

⁸ Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor
    amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

⁹ If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
    even their prayers are detestable.

¹⁰ Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
    will fall into their own trap,
    but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

¹¹ The rich are wise in their own eyes;
    one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
    but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

¹³ Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
    but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

¹⁴ Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
    but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
    is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

¹⁶ A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
    but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

¹⁷ Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
    will seek refuge in the grave;
    let no one hold them back.

¹⁸ The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
    but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.

¹⁹ Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

²⁰ A faithful person will be richly blessed,
    but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

²¹ To show partiality is not good—
    yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

²² The stingy are eager to get rich
    and are unaware that poverty awaits them.

²³ Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
    rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

²⁴ Whoever robs their father or mother
    and says, “It’s not wrong,”
    is partner to one who destroys.

²⁵ The greedy stir up conflict,
    but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.

²⁶ Those who trust in themselves are fools,
    but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

²⁷ Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
    but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

²⁸ When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
    but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.

2 Corinthians 8:22-9:9

²² In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. ²³ As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. ²⁴ Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

9 There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. ² For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. ³ But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. ⁴ For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. ⁵ So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

Generosity Encouraged

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good. Isaiah 55:2

When Jesus was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Luke 24:30-31

O Bread of life, too often we forget that you provide all the answers! When we search for truth, help us turn to you and your Holy Word. Amen.