Going Above and Beyond: Becoming a Generous Leaderናሙና

Day Three: Battling a Scarcity Mindset

“I’ll give when I have more money.”

“I’ll volunteer once I have more time!”

These are just a few of the excuses we often come up with when we aren’t actively practicing generosity in our lives. Not to mention, for those of us who serve as leaders or work in ministry, our work can often leave us feeling depleted and spent, like we have nothing left to give.

But when we skip out on opportunities to be generous, we start to develop a scarcity mindset around our resources and time. When we withhold our gifts, we're essentially deciding that God can’t care for us and give us what we need.

The reality is none of us are born generous. Because of our sinful nature, selfishness and stinginess are natural tendencies. It takes discipline to fight our flesh, trust that God will provide for us, and move into generous living.

So how do we live a life of generosity, even when we don’t feel like what we have is enough?

You might be familiar with the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25. Jesus tells the story of a rich man who entrusted his wealth to his servants. The two servants who received the most talents multiplied what their master had given them. But the third servant buried his one talent and hid it instead of using what he had.

Like the third servant in this parable, it can be easy to compare ourselves to others who have more than us and determine that what God has given us is not enough. But are you generous with what God has given you? Or are you grumbling because someone else was given more?

Maybe God gave you a gift for leadership.

Maybe He made you crafty and creative.

Maybe you have the gift of hospitality and know how to make others feel welcome.

These are all gifts of generosity God can use! Don’t allow your lack of resources to become an excuse for your lack of generosity. Work with what you’ve got, and give from what you already have.

In Genesis 2:7, we see that God formed man out of the dust in the ground, so it’s safe to assume He can also work wonders with whatever we’re able to bring.

Take a few minutes to think about your own life. Are you hiding what you’re holding? In what areas are you operating with a scarcity mindset instead of living open-handed and generously?