At River of Life another of our cultural values is generosity. We choose to be
generous with one another. We choose to look for ways in which we can be
generous with people in our everyday lives. Not because we have to, but because
it’s what we value as a body of believers.
When was the last time you were generous with your “hello” to a person who did
NOT give you eye contact first?
I’ve discovered in Aussie culture, in our region at least, that we wait to have eye
contact with someone as we pass by, and then, maybe, we will initiate a “hello” to
that person…
Have you thought to be generous with your hellos?
What if we said “hello” to someone before eye contact was made, causing them
to look up, engage and be present in the moment? Who knows where the Lord might
take that type of interaction?
What other simple ways can you be generous in your daily living?
Financially, Jesus was generous with his giving. Think of the story of the drachma
gold coin in the Fish’s mouth in Matthew 17:24 – 27 – it didn’t just pay Jesus’ tax, but
Peter’s as well. Or what about the haul of fish that started to break the nets when the
disciples caught obeyed Jesus and tried one more time in Luke 5:1 – 7.
Giving a tenth of our income is the starting point for our generosity, not the end point.
Jesus himself shows us in Matthew 23:23 that tithing is a New Testament
expectation, not just an Old Testament one, and that from that place to let generous
love, mercy, integrous behaviour overflow.
And in 2 Corinthians 9: 7 – 8, it says, “You must each decide in your heart how
much to give (so, plan to give!). And don’t give reluctantly or in response to
pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously
provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left
over to share with others.” (Give generously out of the overflow of what He
provides!)
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
Proverbs 11:25
Enjoy being generous!
