Being Generous: With and Without MoneySample

I Have Something to Share

You can be a generous person, regardless of your financial situation. That’s because generosity is a mindset that influences how we relate to our stuff. Being generous isn’t always easy, but it’s one of the best ways to live like Jesus.

You might be a billionaire, or you could be in middle school. Either way, you can be a generous person. Over the next few days, we’ll hit reset on how we think about generosity. Each day we’ll discover how to follow Jesus’ example, followed by a short prayer and challenge.

Get Ready for Jesus

In the months leading up to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, rumors had begun to spread about the coming Savior of the world. People had lots of opinions about what He’d be like, so they went to Jesus’ cousin for answers.

Many wanted to know how they could get ready for the Savior’s arrival. Maybe they expected to be given certain verses to memorize or a new way to pray. But, instead, John told them this:

... “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” Luke 3:11 NIV

John removes money from the generosity equation, telling us that anyone can be a generous person because everyone has something to share. So what is generosity? It’s sharing what you have to help someone else.

See how simple this definition is? It includes our money, but also everything else we have. So a generous person is someone who shares their stuff with others.

Today, ask yourself, “What do I have to share?” Maybe it’s material resources, a special skill, or free time in your schedule. Even something as simple as sharing kind words in a text message is being generous. Expand your definition of generosity to unlock a new way of following Jesus.

Pray: God, help me discover how I can meet the needs of others. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Challenge: Write down a few things you have to share with others.