March 20, 2023
Reasons For Generosity
The Apostle Paul - “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all 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 be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19)
DAILY DEVOTION
Living the good life means living a generous life. However, deep down, people often wonder, “Why should I be generous with my time, possessions, and finances? What’s the purpose?” There are several reasons we should all be generous. We’ll review a few of those in this devotion.
First, we should be generous because we are grateful for Jesus, our Savior. God is the greatest giver the world has ever known. We certainly hear that in the words of Jesus when He said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). The Apostle Paul writes “Without the gift of God’s Son, we would still be trapped in our bondages and head for hell, rather than heaven. (Titus 3:7) When we take time to think about where we would be without the gracious gift of God’s Son in our lives, we should find it easy to be generous.
Second, we should be generous because we are thankful for our church. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Church in Thessalonica, expressed his thankfulness towards them. He writes, “We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. As we talk to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, and your loving deeds.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3) Thinking about how much the congregation, the pastors and staff, the spiritual and emotional support we receive, and the ministries of our church should bring about gratefulness in our hearts for our church and cause us to want to be generous.
Third, we should be generous because we are concerned about others. Jesus once said, “Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” (John 13:34-35) The Apostle John challenged the church in the same vein by writing, “Let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions.” (1 John 3:18) The early Christians were generous because they knew that was how they could help others. Luke reports that “All the believers…shared everything they had. They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need…with great joy and generosity.” (Acts 2:44-46) We should be willing to follow the example of the early church and be generous with all we have as well.
FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY
In your journal or on a piece of paper, write the above three reasons why we should be generous. Then, write out several more reasons why Christians should be generous. Then, pray, asking the Lord to remind you of these reasons whenever you find yourself struggling with generosity. If you’re leading your family through this devotion, lead them through the same exercise, writing out several reasons why your family should be generous. Then, pray as a family, asking the Lord to help you as a family to grow in your gratefulness and generosity.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, thank You for Jesus. Thank You for the church. Thank You for the opportunity to help others. When it comes time for me to be generous with what You’ve given me, help me to do so with a grateful heart. In Jesus name, Amen.