The Life of Discipleship, Part 11: Sharing Our Resources

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Generosity is a central theme in the Bible, reflecting the character of God, who is depicted as a bountiful, magnanimous God who loves to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11). When we consider His creation of the universe—the sun, the moon, the planets and billions of galaxies and stars—we catch a glimpse of God’s overflowing and abundantly generous nature. His creation of humankind—His crowning creation (Psalm 8:5)—and all the living creatures and plant life provide evidence of His bountiful goodness. “The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1), and offer a continuous illustration of His bountiful generosity toward us and His lovingkindness.

God’s greatest gift to humankind was His Son, Jesus, who gave His life for our redemption. “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Not only did God gift us with eternal life and salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice, but He also adopted us as His own children and made us joint heirs with Christ (Galatians 4:4–7; Romans 8:16–17). Through God’s extravagant generosity, our lives are filled with blessings. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3).

Jesus often taught about the importance of generosity and provided His followers with a living example of generous giving and serving others. Paul expressed this well. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). As we seek to grow in Christlikeness, we see that generosity is part of Jesus’ very nature and a virtue we need to strive to cultivate.

Jesus articulated the principle of generosity when He taught: “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). He was expressing a spiritual law that is prevalent throughout both the Old and New Testament—that when you give, you receive; that God rewards generosity; that helping others is something disciples do, and that in doing these things you are honoring and giving glory to God. Even more than that, you are giving to God.

Of course, it’s not always easy to be generous, whether with our finances, material goods, or our time and service. Giving to others is a sacrifice. It costs. It means you are offering something that belongs to you to another, and in doing so, in a sense you lose it. However, according to what God has said numerous times in both the Old and New Testament, He blesses such generosity in tangible ways.

God has promised to bless and care for those who are generous:

“If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail” (Isaiah 58:10–11).

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to^” (Deuteronomy 15:10 NIV).

In being generous, in giving, in caring for others, we are giving to God. “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed” (Proverbs 19:17).

Jesus instructed His disciples to generously give: “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you” (Matthew 5:42). He also taught them to expect nothing in return for their giving:

“If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:34–35).

The Old Testament teaches the same: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it’—when you have it with you” (Proverbs 3:27–28).

As disciples, we are also commissioned to be generous with one another, especially when there is a need. “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Romans 12:13 NIV; Galatians 6:10).

Loving and caring for others in our “household of faith” is clearly important. When we know of fellow believers who are in need, the Lord expects us to make an effort to help them in some way, whether it is providing needed assistance, caring for someone in their time of need, giving financially when we are able, making and delivering meals, or sharing surplus supplies or clothes, or driving them somewhere. Being generous is about giving to meet the need, and sometimes what is most needed is friendship, companionship, a listening ear, and the gift of your time and spiritual and emotional support.

Being generous pleases God, and He has promised to reward our giving bountifully. Giving to others is an investment in our present and in our eternal future, and brings thanksgiving and praise to the Lord. “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:18–19 NIV.).

Living Generosity

Generosity is the quality of being kind and unselfish, especially as it pertains to sharing money and other valuables with others. The Bible has a lot to say about generosity as a desirable character trait. Proverbs 22:9 says, “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” God is generous, and He expects us to follow His example.

God’s generosity is evidenced all around us. God created this planet that is specially suited to sustain us and provide for our needs and pleasures. He supplies us with color, light, sound, air, and the ability to taste and enjoy, hear and appreciate, touch and be satisfied. Above all, God demonstrated His generosity when He offered His Son as a sacrifice to atone for our sin. In the face of such generosity, we can only say, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)…

As we see God being generous, we are to be generous. Generosity can be manifested in many ways. We can give of our time, our material resources, our hospitality, and our friendship. … God’s Word is clear that the generous are remembered and rewarded, whether in this life or the next.—Got Questions¹

More Blessed

Jesus teaches us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Someone has jokingly said that when it comes to giving, many people will stop at nothing. What does the Bible say? “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Why? Perhaps it is because we are most like God when we give, and he does not give grudgingly.

In addition, our giving determines how much God can do in our lives. When we give to him gladly, we open ourselves to receive from him freely. Malachi 3:10 says, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’” … We cannot outgive God. As a godly old farmer once said, “I shovel into God’s storehouse, and he shovels into mine—and God has a bigger shovel.”—Rick Warren²

Living Out the Generosity Principle

There are many ways to live out the principle of generosity in our daily lives, which often will require making intentional choices to devote our time, prayers, money, resources, and gifts to the service of others. It is a part of offering ourselves “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,” which Paul describes as our “spiritual worship” to God (Romans 12:1). Giving of ourselves is worship that is pleasing to God. “Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16 NIV).

As Christians, we are called to put our faith into action and reach out to weary and troubled hearts, as well as the disadvantaged, downtrodden, and needy, as unto Jesus. Generously giving of our time, prayers and resources to those in need is a beautiful way to express our faith—serving God by serving others. The underprivileged, the needy, the hungry need to know they are loved and cared about, that they are valued. God loves every human being as His unique creation, and as Christians, we are called to do so as well.

Sharing the good news of the gospel with others, praying for them and helping them to grow in faith is an important way of giving to others and fulfilling the Great Commission. Serving in orphanages or hospitals, visiting the sick, caring for refugees and the homeless, ministering to prisoners, teaching the underprivileged, and participating in medical camps are valuable ways to bring the love of Christ to those in need.

Living our faith and following in Jesus’ footsteps means putting faith into action and giving to others and caring for them as unto the Lord. We do so when we reach out to those who may be experiencing hard times, tragedy, loss, or anxiety to share God’s comfort and hope for the future. We also freely give of our spiritual riches to those who may not be lacking in health or wealth, but who are weary, troubled, and lost. The love of Christ compels us to do so, as we no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who gave His life for us (2 Corinthians 5:14–15).

As His followers, we give to those in need; we support God’s mission to the world, often in unseen ways, which other people may never know about, such as: When you finance a missionary team in a faraway country. When you give something that you need to someone who needs it more. When you sacrifice your time to intercede for someone’s needs—someone who may not even know that you’re praying for them. We do these things as unto the Lord, as the following article highlights.

The God of the Bible is a missionary God with a worldwide agenda, and he carries out his mission through his people. Christians [are called] to spend and be spent for the cause of Jesus Christ. Some participate in these efforts by taking the gospel where it is most needed. Others send and support those who have gone. Hence, one of the responsibilities of Christians is giving to support gospel work.

Giving is worship. It is important that we do not just think of Christian giving as merely giving to individuals or institutions. But every act of giving towards gospel work is ultimately an act of worship. You are giving thanks to God and giving him his worth. You are, in many ways, offering a sacrifice of praise to the Lord. Giving is a response of gratitude to what God in Christ has done and how privileged you are to be part of his family (2 Corinthians 8–9). It is a way of acknowledging that everything belongs to and comes from God (James 1:17).

We are commanded to give. God expects his people to give to his work and to go to his workers. Every Christian is a partner in God’s harvest (Philippians 1:3–5). As God blesses us with means, we are called to be good and faithful stewards of the blessings. To whom much is given, much is required. And these blessings require our giving to be generous, cheerful, and sacrificial.

God uses means. God carries out his purposes and plans through means, often through human instruments. This means that people will not come to faith unless someone preaches (Romans 10:15–17). … Those who are sent must be supported. God graciously allows people to take part in his work of missions. He provides and meets needs through human means, such as acts of generous giving. For the Christian, it is a wonderful privilege to be invited to participate in God’s mission of saving people from all tongues, tribes, and nations, even through giving.—Chopo Mwanza³

What we give for others—our service, our prayers, our giving—we do for Jesus. We don’t do it for recognition, for monetary gain, or to advance in society. We do all that we do, in any ministry or in our everyday actions, to glorify the Lord. We are moved to do what we can to improve the lives of others, to help them in their time of need, and to share the good news of our eternal hope in Christ. We walk as Jesus walked.

Living the principle of generosity makes us a blessing to others and brings God’s blessing to us in return. When you make the choice to give of yourself, your time, your prayers, your resources, your finances, you are not only doing generous acts; you are becoming a generous person, and God blesses those who are generous. “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).

Thoughts to Ponder

The Bible says that generosity leads to blessing. In Proverbs 11:25 (NIV), the Bible tells us, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” God draws near to those who are generous, lend freely and act with justice (Psalm 112:5). If you give generously, then God will pour out more blessings upon you than you even have room for (Malachi 3:10).—Chris Witts

Who we truly are as children of God is all that we take with us so that we can enjoy a relationship with God forever. … Generosity keeps us focused on what really matters, what really is important to God. When we are generous in Christ’s name, we are furnishing our eternal home with treasures far greater than anything we can buy on earth.—Todd Harper

When we give like God does, and we honor Him with that giving, it draws us closer to Him. It causes us to stop looking at ourselves and start looking out for others. The more we draw near to God, the more our priorities and values start to reflect His. So, how do you live generously? It starts with asking God to give you a generous mindset.—YouVersion.com

What the Bible Says

“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11).

“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17–18).

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

A Prayer for Generosity

Dear God, we ask for a generous heart. Help us to give freely of our time, resources, and love to those in need. Let us see the opportunities around us to make a difference. May our generosity be a reflection of your love and kindness.

Thank you for the blessings we have received. Help us to share them with others and to be a light in the world. Guide us to be generous not only with our material possessions but also with our time, attention, and compassion. Help us to recognize the needs of those around us and to respond with open hearts and hands. May our generosity inspire others to give and to create a ripple effect of kindness and support.

We pray for those who are in need. Provide them with the resources and support they require, and help us to be part of the solution. Thank you for the joy that comes from giving. Help us to cultivate a spirit of generosity in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.⁴