The Vineনমুনা

Giving

God’s people are known for their overwhelming generosity. In the book of Acts, we see that when people started forming communities around their Christian identity, they considered everything they had as a common resource. Check out what it says in Acts 2:44-45: “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”

Picture that for a minute. A group of people from different backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses have come together to form a new community. Winter is approaching, and a few community members lack warm clothes. So the people pool their resources—some give their excess salary while others bring an extra coat they had—and they provide for those in need. Or maybe a family’s house burned down. So a landowner in the group sells off part of his field, and rather than put that money into his account he donates it to the family so they can buy a new home.

Today that kind of radical generosity is, well, radical. When the whole world seems bent on competing for money and resources, the people of God are constantly giving it away. Why? Because our Savior is and has always been generous with Himself. When we deserved nothing from Him, He set aside His status in heaven to come dwell with us on earth. When He previously knew no pain, tiredness, or sadness, He opened Himself to experiencing it so He could identify with us in our humanity. He accepted not praise from the world, but the entirety of its sin so we could have a perfect relationship with Him again.

This is the selfless generosity that compels followers of Jesus to give. We give through our church to support ministries (Philippians 4:15-18), we give so our community has what it needs (Acts 4:33-35), and we give our time to build up others (Acts 18:24-26).

Consider how you view your money, resources, and time. Have you held them too closely? What might happen if you lived in response to God’s generosity toward you?

Prayer

“God, renew my understanding of how You have never held anything back from me, even when I was at my worst. Help me open my hands with the resources I have, knowing that they were given to me by Uou in the first place. Show me how to be more like Jesus in the way I give what I have.”

Explore at Your speed

Spend some time reading and meditating on Mark 12:41-44. Think about why Jesus contrasted the people who gave a lot and the widow who gave so little. What does this tell you about what God truly cares about with our giving?