I came from a modest upbringing, both my parents worked hard to provide for the family, but we did not have much to spare. Despite that, my parents were generous givers, and I received the gift of a generous heart from them.
God has always been in the business of generous giving. In fact, it is a journey He invites us to join Him in. He gives freely with investment in mind. Investments imply returns, and God’s hope is that we will extend the investments that He has made in us back into the kingdom. This is the critical idea of kingdom returns. People sometimes get confused and think that generous giving just has to do with our finances, but that is missing the point. Generosity is about how we use all the resources in our lives, even our time.
GOD OWNS IT ALL.
The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 communicates a lot to us about how God views our stewardship of His giving. In the story, we learn about a master who entrusts his servants with talents (money) before leaving on a journey. Two of them invest wisely and are rewarded by the master; one however hides his out of fear and is later rebuked for his lack of faith and action. The one that buried his talents did not understand that God’s investments require a return. The other two were mindful. They knew the owner of the money; they understood their master. They knew what he was after, and they went after the same. God is after a kingdom return and has an expectation that you will take care of what He gives you.
In my own life, I rarely give without looking at what the Kingdom return will be. I try to operate in a mindset of wisdom. Luke 12:48 says, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be expected; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” We all want to be the one who receives much, but often, the one who receives much forgets that much is also expected in return. God entrusts these gifts to us, and we honor Him by using what He’s given us to serve others and build His Kingdom.
This life is about being fruitful with your gifts, not keeping them to yourself. Hoarding results in zero growth of what you’ve been given, whether that be a talent or the things that derive from that talent. God desires to see growth within His kingdom. The gifts He gives are not separated between Kingdom gifts and worldly gifts; in other words, the gifts that make you successful in this world, whether in business, finance, etc. – are the very same gifts that allow you to effectively contribute to God’s kingdom.
WE ARE BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING
Early on in our marriage, my wife Kathy and I wrestled for a while about why God chose us to receive such incredible blessings. Over time, God opened our eyes, and we understood that we have been blessed so that we can be a blessing to others.
This became a key family value for us and as we have engaged in generosity, we have in turn been overwhelmed by God’s blessings. The blessings God has given us are not necessarily financial, but we have been blessed in our hearts as well as in other areas of our lives. s.
God does not grade on a curve. Generosity is not a magic equation one uses to get more. We cannot give with an expectation of being told “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Instead, we give because He calls us to. I am not sure what God will say to me when I eventually meet him, however until then I do what I can and pursue what I believe is the right balance. When I do that, I really can live with no regrets.
Matthew 6:17-19 reads “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud, not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all that we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need. Always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will store up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.”
This verse has played out well in my life. The first part of it is the most challenging – not trusting in your wealth is a hard thing to do. It’s easier for me to trust God on things I can’t control. It is more challenging to trust God on the things I can control.
GIVING REAPS JOY
How much joy does your giving bring you? This is a good measuring stick. It may not always rank high on the fulfilment scale, but remember – giving is a journey. Like most journeys, the value is often found by simply remaining on the path. I encourage you to enjoy the process, even the moments when it does not feel enjoyable.
Being generous is a great way to connect the thought of giving, with joy and with a cheerful spirit. Some people seem to be more gifted in this area than others. In my case, Kathy is a great encouragement. She absolutely gives from her heart, while I tend to give from my brain. I will look for the Kingdom return, the leverage in the gift, the impact that it will have over time. I look for ministries that are excellent stewards of what they have. Giving from this perspective is not wrong and involves more information and planning; whereas Kathy senses the Holy Spirit encouraging generosity and she obeys fervently.
Experiencing the joy of giving causes you to be even more generous. As you continue to give and you witness what it does for others, God starts to change your heart. The pressure to give can be found in many places – church offerings, a charity function, someone in need and so on. However, we do not give out of response to pressure, but we give out of response to obedience, and we do it with a cheerful heart.
A cheerful giver understands that this giving is not a burden, but a privilege. It puts your heart in the right place. When you are giving cheerfully, you are trusting God to do something great with your gift.
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO OUT-GIVE GOD.
Once you get into the rhythm of generosity, God often provides for you so you can continue to be generous. If you use the gifts, He gives you wisely, God will entrust more to you.
Being generous is not limited to finances or material things, but one can also give their time. We all have the ability to be generous in our time. We live in a fast-paced world, and when you step out and take a moment to help someone in need, it could be an opportunity that will lead them to God.
Take a moment to read through the handout Reasons to Give/Tithe where I breakdown additional motivations for giving and tithing.
Over the years, Kathy and I have received many requests from friends and mentees to share information about the ministries Servant’s Heart foundation supports. It has been important to us to choose organizations that we see being efficient and effective stewards of the resources they have been entrusted with. It has been our honor to work closely with each ministry’s leadership and witness firsthand the great Kingdom impact they are having. We are glad to share these organizations with you on the Servant’s Heart blog, found at https://www.servantsheartblog.org/
ACTION STEP
Read the verses above again and take some time to reflect on where your heart sits on the subjects of generosity and giving. Ask yourself the following questions. They may seem simple, but truly stopping to consider each one will produce dividends – I guarantee it.
- How much thought and intentionality has my family given to the subject of giving?
- Do I understand the concept of kingdom investments, and do I affirm that it’s important?
- Is the thought of radical generosity something that gives me joy or fear? Why is that?
This post is the first in a four-part series on generosity. In the next three posts we will discuss different levels of giving and how to incorporate wisdom into your decision-making. I’ll also provide a number of resources that will help you understand your options for maximizing kingdom investments. I look forward to growing with you!
