Author’s note: Often in the church we talk about living a life that “Honors God,” but if we are honest, I suspect many of us would have to admit that we don’t really know what that looks like or how to flesh it out day by day. For the last several weeks I’ve been reading a devotional series entitled “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom” by Selwyn Hughes. It’s rooted in the book of Proverbs and it organizes the wisdom contained therein under seven topics that can help followers of Jesus reflect wisdom in living godly lives. So far, I’ve read about TRUST, INTEGRITY, and am currently reading about GENEROSITY. It is the current topic of generosity that is driving this particular post.

An old Welsh proverb says, “The greatest joy in giving is to be the one who gives.”

I LOVE giving gifts. It’s one of my favorite things to do. (If you don’t believe me, just ask “the redhead” about her birthday last week and how many days early she received her gifts because I couldn't wait!) Knowing that about myself, I felt pretty good when I approached the pillar called generosity… I have particularly enjoyed several snippets from these daily entries:

“Mathematics and logic have nothing to do with reality… how do 5 loaves and 2 fish feed thousands?”
“Generosity that is exercised for the purpose of reward is not generosity at all.”
“…selfishness short-circuits human happiness…”
“…the route to joy is liberality…”
“It is the SPIRIT of generosity the Bible focuses on, not the amount.”

To that end, I conducted an inventory of my own life giving particular attention to how generous I may or may not be. That has involved making determinations about my “stuff.” In asking myself the question “What do I hold that belongs to my needs and what belongs to my wants?” I’ve come to a new degree of understanding about how very lavish God has been with His generosity toward me.

Interestingly, the scriptures I’ve read that speak to being generous, (e.g., Acts 2:45 - They were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need… OR 2 Cor. 8:14 - …your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness…, just to name a couple) speak only to helping meet the NEEDS of others. Must our generosity stop at a person’s needs? I struggle with that question.

As a gift-giver, whenever I have the wherewithal to do so, I’m often inclined to give things people would never get for themselves… things that might seem frivolous or unnecessary. I consider how well I know the person, their likes and dislikes, their interests and hobbies, and I choose my gift based on that knowledge. Maybe it seems a little “over-the-top”, but I’ve never been accused of doing things half-way! I do this because I believe such gifts bring joy to people whom I love.

God has given me opportunities over roughly the last six months to extend generosity in a different way. My family and I have been able to meet specific peoples’ needs… to give things like food, clothing and care. To offer counsel and guidance… to share the good news that God loves people. This brings a very different kind of satisfaction than that received by giving “stuff.”

I hope that sharing my story doesn’t seem forward… I don’t want accolades simply for being obedient to God’s leadership. I was personally challenged in this regard when our congregation started a ministry called The 2:45 Fund which keeps church families who are suffering from our country’s economic downturn from losing homes or going hungry. (This all happens in addition to our regular benevolence work with those outside the church who need food or other necessary care.) The reason I state any of this at all is that I believe there are MANY of us who need to be about the business of meeting needs for those who cannot care for themselves. I have friends who give time, skill and resources in all sorts of ways to benefit those in need. For those who are choosing generosity as a lifestyle trait, I celebrate with you the joy that comes from sharing God’s blessings with others.

I think for me the bottom line in all of this is that I will likely continue to give gifts that bring joy to people I know and love, but I’ve discovered a deep spiritual satisfaction in using God’s blessings to me as an agent to demonstrate His love for those in need. I REFUSE to become a “give-to-get-a-blessing” giver, but based on my recent experiences, I rather suspect each time God brings me an opportunity to share for which I choose obedience, I’ll sense His pleasure in it and that will be the greatest gift of all.