3 Bible Verses That Inspired Us to Be Irrationally GenerousSample

A couple years ago my wife Linda and I (Bob) reached one of the most significant milestones in our lives. After keeping track for 15 years, we discovered that we had given away a total of $1 million dollars to causes and organizations we believed in.

I think what has made it so significant for us is that we know how unlikely of candidates we were for something like this.

Just 15 years ago, we were completely broke, in debt, and in the natural had no chance of ever reaching this goal.

But God.

God, as usual, loves doing his greatest work through people you would never suspect.

And we were certainly those who no one would have expected.

But as I think back on what scripture verses impacted us to begin focusing so heavily on giving, this passage in Matthew 6 was the first that came to mind.

Through this passage I began to get a fresh revelation that we are eternal beings. As in, our time on earth is a tiny sliver of our total existence.

And yet, so many of us tend to live our lives and make decisions as if our time on earth is our TOTAL existence.

But when we see ourselves as eternal beings (not limited to this short time on earth), we begin to make different decisions.

This passage in Matthew was one of the first for me where I began to realize that my giving on earth can benefit me AFTER this time on earth.

Randy Alcorn wisely says that “the greatest deterrent to giving is the illusion that earth is our home”.

Just understanding that we are on temporary assignment here makes it a lot easier to loosen our grip on our money and possessions.

But when we couple that with this promise that we can (through our giving) store up treasures in heaven, things get really exciting.

In Phil 4:17, Paul hints at this heavenly account as well by saying “Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.”

To think that each time we give on earth, we are essentially making deposits to our eternal bank account is thrilling to imagine.

Let’s pray:

God, please help me to better see myself as an eternal being. Help me to begin making more decisions, especially with my finances, in light of eternity. Help me to make the most of my short time on earth by prioritizing generosity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.