Stopped at a red light, I motioned to the man on the corner holding a sign that read HUNGRY. As he approached, I grabbed one of the McDonalds gift cards I keep in my car for situations like this.
“What’s your name, friend?” I asked out the window.
The look of shock on his face showed he was used to being ignored.
“James,” he said, avoiding my eyes.
The car behind me honked as the light turned green. “Take care of yourself, James,” I said as I laid the card in his hand.
I drove away with a heavy heart for James. Yet I felt joyful that I’m able to act as the hands and feet of Jesus.
Each time I give away one of these gift cards, I remember Jesus’ words: For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink…when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me (Matthew 25:35, 40).
God is the ultimate model of generosity. He demonstrated that with the sacrificial gift of his Son. His love for us compelled him to give us Jesus. Our love for God should compel us to be generous with what we have.
Although we often think generosity involves only our finances, it’s more than that. God commands us to be good stewards of the time and talents He’s given to us.
Take a moment today to reflect on your personal generosity.
- Are you generous with your words? Is what you say an encouragement to those who hear them (Ephesians 4:29)?
- Are you generous with your time? Can you volunteer at church or within your community?
- Do you use your talents to help others? You could bake bread for neighbors, share the gospel in creative ways, or mentor young believers.
- Are you generous with your finances? Could you make a personal sacrifice to bless others with a gift or a donation?
As our generosity grows, we experience freedom from greed and a deeper intimacy with Jesus. To the watching world, our giving creates contagious generosity! We can inspire others to glorify God with their gifts.
Imagine if we stir up a wave of generosity that points to the Father who richly gives us all we need (1Timothy 6:17). It starts with us. How will you use your blessings to spread creative, contagious generosity?
Ready to take your Next Step? Check out these blog posts:
