40acts: Ready to ActSample

Act 3: Treat

If you’re in the position to receive a salary, the few days between being paid and the bills going out offer a great opportunity to give a ‘payday treat’ to someone else. Instead of focussing on your needs and obligations, turn your attention to someone nearby. Not in work at the moment? Join in with friends and think homespun.

Have you ever met people with little to spare, who are still surprisingly generous? In God’s economy, this is no surprise. His kingdom is one with generosity at the centre, just as God is the definition of generosity and we are called to be like him. He will never leave us without means to be generous. Romans 12:11 and 13 command us to ‘never be lacking in zeal’ in relation to ‘shar[ing] with the Lord’s people who are in need.’ This is true no matter what your bank balance looks like. So it stands to reason that God will provide a way to be generous whether you’re in the red or the black.

And as Jesus looks on the widow with a handful of pennies to drop in the offering, cheering her on, his heart rejoices as we choose to take the little we have and turn it out towards others. Biblically, the tithe is just the starting line for our generosity – we have met the base standard. But to be generous is where we really get to light up God’s heart with joy. Wherever you are at financially, ‘never [emphasis added] be lacking in zeal’ in sharing with those in need. No matter your circumstances, you are in the right place to ‘share with the Lord’s people who are in need’. It might look different depending on whether or not today is payday for you, but you can be sure that God will provide the means for you to give.