Generous

12/24/13

A few weeks back, we gave some of our things to the people in the Philippines who had lost so much.  My daughter chose several things to give, and helped dropped them off at the local mayor’s office.  But shortly after returning home, she wanted to wear one of the shirts she had given!  She was absolutely distraught.  She wanted to wear it one more time before she gave it away. 

Later, my husband and I decided we’d probably done it too quickly – from chosen to given in less than an hour.  Maybe she needed more time to process, say goodbye to her things… 

We want her (and ourselves!) to be a generous giver, a life-long, love-doing-this kind of giver.  That was not a good step…  So we wanted to emphasize what the Bible teaches about giving: DO NOT GIVE RELUCTANTLY.  Yes, give.  Give generously and cheerfully.  But not under compulsion. 

2 Corinthians 9…  so much to say that I can’t choose just one verse!  The whole thing is worth reading, but here is a slightly shorter quotation of the chapter. 

⁵ So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”^[a]

¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Later, God taught me that the same thing applies about giving of my time.  

And today, I’m learning that giving “what I have decided in my heart to give,” is so very freeing.  I had no idea. 

In my head this afternoon, I was reciting all the things I’d given to a particular friend (who had just called and asked for more).  I wanted to recite it to a mutual friend, who would then support me and tell me that what I had done was fine.  But I realized I shouldn’t recite it to her.  I should talk to God. 

So I started telling God all about it, looking again for a listening, supportive, maybe even sympathetic ear…  but I felt like I got a stone wall.  Nothing.  I was a little mad and tried again.  Nothing.  Then I started to humble myself, and actually ASK God about it all, instead of just telling him what I thought and hoping for the response I wanted. 

This time as I started to talk to God about it, I realized that I sounded an awful lot like the older brother in the “prodigal son” parable.  “Haven’t I done this, and this, and this?... Here I am slaving away for you/her, and I didn’t get so much as a fattened calf/thank you...”  (See Luke 15:28-30)

Ouch. 

Ok, God.  My heart is totally in the wrong place. 

Does that mean I need to give her more money? 

Silence again.  No, not silence.  Just a quiet, “nothing new to say” reminder of the verse that has been ringing in my mind…  “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion…” 

So I don’t need to give her money?  Or I do?! ?

“Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion…” 

I don’t want to.  I have done all I am willing to do.  … I think…  but how can I...?...?? 
God, what do You really want me to do?

And eventually, I realized that there is freedom in deciding what I am able to give.  I do not need my friend’s validation that I have given enough.  I have given what I am able to do cheerfully.  Everything else would be reluctant giving. 

God is a giver.  The best giver.  But everything He does is from Love!  Not compulsion.  Unfortunately, Christianity is very good at compulsion, and most people are good at giving reluctantly, with a desire for compensation of some sort (recognition, if nothing else).  But Christ does not teach that!  

Matthew 6:1-4 (and on through the rest of the chapter, too)

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.  ² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Paul speaks with a similar idea, “For Christ’s love compels us…” (2 Corinthians 5:14).

And when we give because we want to, we share His joy.  We share His heart.  We sound like Him, not like the older brother… 

Free.  Joyful.  Generous. 

Three words that should always go together. 

 (If you want to read these verses in context, www.biblegateway.com is a great resource.)