Generousity

For many of us, we have repeatedly heard of needs, including financial needs, of others. Whether that's from missionaries, ministries in our churches, or perhaps non-profits outside the church. It seems there is always a need to give to. Are you tired of always having people ask you for your time and money? Perhaps you don't feel like you have either to give. I'm not here to decide how you fill your 24 hours in a day - I have enough trouble managing my own time. I'm also not here to look at your bank account to see what your financial balance is. However, I am here to challenge you to a biblical principle.

When we hear of a need from someone, or from an organization, I think we have two options to consider. First to ignore it, tune it out and hope it will go away (my experience says that is unlikely). Second, to be obedient. Each of us needs to do our part to meet the needs of others.

Deut. 15:11 says, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land."

Just before Jesus walked into Jerusalem days before his crucifixion, we see this verse repeated after Mary (Lazurus' sister) took a pint of expensive perfume, poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. Jesus said (referring to 'wasting' the expensive perfume and not selling it and giving the money to the poor), "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” John 12:8

Then in Luke 21:1-4 it says, "As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'Truly I tell you,' he said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'"

I believe it's clear we will always have individuals who need our help financially and it's also clear we have a part to play in helping them, however have you noticed in the Bible it doesn’t say anywhere we have to give a certain dollar figure? Consider the example of the widow who gave her two copper coins. She gave generously from her heart, not out of her abundance. Our time and money needs to be given out of our generous hearts, not out of the leftovers. I pray the Lord will challenge us out of our familiar, comfortable places and change our hearts so we will be generous with those around us!

Lord, I pray you would change our hearts to give generously and to love on others generously.

Jo-Ann