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"Light shines in the darkness for the godly.
They are generous, compassionate, and righteous."
(Psalm 112:4)
I am really excited for those who have been following our devotions this week. Why? I believe many lives are going to be changed for the better. You are going to discover how truly blessed it is to give over receiving. Many will not get it, and I understand that. It is a totally different way of thinking and living. To deny yourself, be generous, and seek to bless others runs so counter to our culture. But, oh my, those who do get it, they will be so blessed. Do not take my word for it; take Jesus' word for it. In Acts 20:35, Paul refers to his own hard work and then gives us this amazing quote from the Lord: "And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Here are my practical steps toward generosity that I offer for consideration in your life. I believe these will set you up to be blessed.
- Humble yourself and ask God to help you be more generous. Change your attitude toward yourself and others. Don't be so consumed with self-preservation. Jesus teaches us in the Gospels that in order to be great you have to serve. Mark 10:45 says: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
- Start small, then build and grow in being generous. If you do not tithe, for example, start by giving a percent of your income, and go up from there. If you tip poorly, try increasing until you are generous. Start training your mind to give more instead of turning inward and thinking of what you can keep.
- Develop the "and then some" mentality. I am not asking you to be unwise or to let people take advantage of you. In those situations, you are only hurting yourself and ultimately hurting the other person too. I am saying, add a little more encouragement and praise, give more financially, and as my wife likes to say, "Let's do a little extra." Raise your standard of giving more than your standard of living. (I believe it was Keith Green from whom I first heard this.)
- Believe God. Trust that what He says in Proverbs 11:24-25, Luke 6:38, Acts 20:35, and 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 is the truth.
- Embrace this maxim: "I am blessed to be a blessing." This really helps you have gratitude, which is a key ingredient to being generous.
- Practice generosity not only with your finances but also with your time, your compliments, and your approval. Especially to parents, I would encourage you to be very liberal in your affirmation to your children. Most parents don't have a problem pointing out when their children mess up, but how many excel in praising their kids when they do well?
- Start today. If you have some cash on you, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and He will lead you to someone who could use it. Hint: all college students need money! Speak a kind word to someone. Go ask a neighbor how you can help. Volunteer at church, a food bank, or a disaster relief ministry. Come on, you can do this! And as you do, something spectacular begins to happen to you: you are blessed.
Okay, I have saved for last one of the best quotes I could possibly share with you on this wonderful topic of generosity, and it comes from a pastor friend of mine, Johnny Hunt, who said, "You do not have to be wealthy to be generous; you just have to be generous." Drop the mic!
Generosity. Yes, I know it's kind of strange to address the subject of giving and blessing others when you are in a tight spot yourself. However, what a grand time to be generous, because so many people are in need of help.
I am praying for every person who reads these devotions, that God would inspire you and give you faith to believe, and that you would go and live a life of generosity.
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