Sacrificial Generosity
I have been thinking recently about the joy of financial generosity. Sometimes we shy away from talking about financial giving as if either it is too personal or that Jesus doesn’t have much to say about money and the joy of giving. Nothing could be further from the truth. Biblical text, Jesus encounters and the promises of Scripture have much to say on the subject.
It seems that Jesus had no concern about the size of your wallet but much emphasis on the size of your heart! Throughout the gospels we note a vast spectrum of financial encounters. From the widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44) to the rich young man’s request (Mark 10:17-31).
Jesus challenged the conventional assumption that the larger the gift, the more worth to God. He not only encouraged the rich to give generously but also the poor. We can all be fully involved in generous giving. It is not the amount but the generous sacrificial heart that God is looking for.
Jesus does not criticise the rich, who contribute large amounts of money, but commends the widow who gave two very small copper coins worth only a fraction of a penny as giving more than all the others. I guess it’s not the amount we give but the heart of generosity that is the important fact. Some can give large amounts and not notice. Whereas others can give “all” out of a sacrificial generous heart towards God.
I came across this prayer recently. It is a liturgy that is repeated before offerings are considered. It has challenged me and I share it with you as an encouragement to be generous with all that God has given you.
‘At the heart of our value of Mission is the commitment to sacrificially giving ourselves to joining God in the renewal of all things. This includes our resources, such as money. We believe that choosing to be sacrificially generous with our money not only allows God’s kingdom to flourish, but it keeps our hearts sensitive to the fact that all we have is a gift from God to be shared with others.
The majority of what we do is made possible by the sacrificial generosity of our church family. We recite a liturgy of generosity to celebrate our generous Father in heaven, and to recommit to a life focused on giving rather than receiving.
“Heavenly Father, everything we have, and all we are, belong to You.
We resist the temptation to spend all you have blessed us with on ourselves alone, or to give out of fear or duty, which we know are ways of living that do not lead to life in all its fullness.
Instead, we choose joyful sacrificial generosity, knowing that is the way of Jesus and of those who trust in Him.
Holy Spirit, help us to grow in generosity that we might together become more like Him and reveal to the world what He is really like.
Give us everything we need to be a blessing to those around us.”
Amen.
Blessings,
David Wade