A Three Step Journey to GenerosityEsimerkki

Day 2 - Obedience

I grew up in a home where generosity was modeled.  I remember seeing my dad write his contribution check each Sunday morning before leaving for church.  That didn’t translate to adulthood, however.  Conflict erupted in my own household when it came time to give.  I could think of all kinds of reasons not to give.  I didn’t make much and thought there might not be enough to meet our needs, I wasn’t sure how the church leadership was using the money, I served in other areas and deep down thought my volunteering was enough.  I knew I should give, saw it modeled as a child, was in a community of givers, but couldn’t find the courage to open my hands.

In Mark 14, Jesus encounters a woman named Mary.  In the story, Mary anoints Jesus's head with expensive perfume and from her perspective, this was a gift to him, a worship offering on her part.  You get the impression that Mary didn't have much because in verse 8, Mark records Jesus's words, “She has done what she could…”.  In other words, she wanted to do something for Jesus, but didn’t have much, however, she also didn’t let that stop her from giving something.  Jesus said she simply, “did what she could.”  He went on to say that this particular gift had special meaning as it anointed him for his looming burial.  So, the first thing you won’t know about your gift is its impact.  You might have to read that again.  Your responsibility is not to determine the impact of your gift, but to be obedient to give it.  You will never be held accountable for what your gift did in the life of someone else.

Have you ever thought about the power that is held in the act of generosity?  If you’ve ever read about Zacchaeus, you might remember the dramatic effect of his gifts.  Jesus invited himself to have dinner in this tax collector's home and by the time the meal was over, Zacchaeus was told he was going to Heaven.  Scripture doesn’t share the conversation between these two, but does share the result.  Zacchaeus was extravagantly generous, and Jesus gifted him salvation.  Generosity has the power to impact eternity!

The journey of generosity begins with the understanding that God owns everything and that we are called to be managers of His resources. This understanding helps us release the grip on our finances.  The first step towards generosity is from giving Nothing to giving Something.  Yesterday, we practiced this by finding something that we don’t use anymore and giving it to someone who could benefit from it.  Today, let’s continue to explore the idea of moving from Nothing to Something. 

Questions:  What obstacles did you experience yesterday when you attempted to give?  What did you do about them?

Give it a Try:  Decide right now that you will give Something today that will cost you.  Here are a few ideas.  Double the tip you give the barista when you get coffee today or the waiter if you eat at a restaurant.  Write a coworker a thank you note and leave them a candy bar.  Go online and make a gift to your home church through the website.