Habit Of HappinessSample

When You Give, You Become More Like Jesus

Everything in your life is a gift of God, because God is generous.

God wants his children to become like him. He wants you to learn that you can give without loving but you cannot love without giving.

You say, “I really love my kids!” Do you give them your time? “I really love my wife.” Do you give her your attention? This is what love is all about. You become more loving when you become more generous.

Every time you’re generous, a change takes place in you. Every time you give, your heart moves another tweak up the dial toward God. You become more loving every time you give. You become more like Jesus.

Philippians 1:11 says, “May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation — the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ — for this will bring much glory and praise to God” (NLT).

What we’re talking about here is extremely counter culture, because our culture does not tell you to give. Everything in our culture says “get.” Would you agree we’re living in an increasingly self-centered culture? Narcissism is on the rise. It’s all about me. Me, my stuff, my needs — me, me, me. We have a “me” problem!

When you’re generous, it gets the focus off you so that you can stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about others. Philippians 2:4-5 says, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”


This devotional © 2014 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.