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I read a story not long ago about a truck driver who was eating at a fast food restaurant when he saw three teenage boys come in and walk up to the counter. They were pooling all their money in hopes of being able to buy some kind of soda. The man watched for a few moments then got up, went to the counter and laid down $20 and told the boys to get whatever they wanted. The boys were thrilled and thanked the man as he left. I love stories like this.
I love stories of people seeing a person in uniform come into a restaurant and then buying their meal, of the police officer who somehow hears that a young man without a dad needs to know how to tie a tie for their prom so stops over and helps. I love the stories of fast food workers and grocery store clerks paying for those who either didn’t have enough money or forgot their wallets at home.
I love the stories of people giving their time, money, and support, to those in need without being asked or compelled to help. I love stories that show this kind of generosity and every time I hear one, I want to do the same thing. Do those stories inspire you to be more generous? My guess is that you have done things like this a few times. This week I heard two stories from people here at the church who just gave generously to someone in need and as I listened, I could see the joy it brought, not to those who were helped, but to those who gave. There is an overflow of JOY that comes when we give, which is why Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35. There is a blessing that is ours when we can unexpectedly or outrageously give and that blessing is joy.
I’ve experienced this joy before, but this week I was reminded of all the times I did experience the joy because I didn’t give. I went into a local restaurant for lunch not long ago and saw a table of uniformed military personnel having lunch. There were 6 of them and the first thing I thought was, I should buy their lunch. I was seated and couldn’t see their table but thought about it all during lunch. I said, well if they are still there when I leave, I’ll do it. They were gone when I left. It was a missed opportunity to be generous and experience the overflow of joy.
One day I saw a woman in the grocery store and I knew she and her husband had taken in several foster children in the past and she had a crying baby in her cart that was another foster child they were caring for. I ran into her several times and then again at the checkout. I thought to myself, I should buy her groceries. I wrestled with myself about it. Should I? Would it embarrass her? How do I do it? I ended up checking out and leaving the store.
I put my bags in the car and walked back in and stood next to her in the checkout line and finally said, can I put this on my card. For all that you do for children in our community, this is the least I can do, and I do mean the least I can do. She was appreciative and I was thankful I did it, but why did it take me so long to be generous. Unfortunately my life is filled with more missed opportunities than acts of generosity - but I want to change that. I want to be more generous. I want generosity to overflow from my life so that joy can flow in.
I hope you feel the same way. My guess is that you do. We all want to be that person who leaves a big tip that changes someone’s life, or buys lunch for a soldier so they know they are appreciated, or soda for some teens so that they know they are loved. So how can we become more generous? How can we experience the overflow of joy because giving becomes the overflow of our heart and lives? To grow in generosity we have to change our hearts because giving and generosity is not a financial issue, it is a heart issue.
Due to a severe famine that took place throughout Israel about 10 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the church in Jerusalem found themselves in great need. There was hunger and starvation all through Israel so as the Apostle Paul traveled from church to church across the Roman Empire, he asked people to give to those in need in Jerusalem. Paul pointed out the amazing generosity of one group of people because they didn’t give out of their abundance, they gave out of their poverty. Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth about their generosity and said,
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
The people and churches of Macedonia were not rich. The area had been stripped of its wealth when they were overthrown and made part of the Roman Empire, and the Christians who were giving to help those in need had been persecuted in many different ways. They didn’t have a lot of money but giving to them wasn’t a financial matter, it was a faith matter. They wanted to give. They were eager to give. They joyfully gave and they gave beyond what anyone thought was possible for them to give. Their giving was so amazing that today it still stands as an example of true generosity.
Giving doesn’t depend on how much money we have, it depends on how much faith and trust we have in God. To grow in our faith and to grow in generosity, here are three mindsets that need to change.
1. We have to stop thinking that we don’t have enough to give but that we have MORE THAN ENOUGH to give. And let me be clear, I’m not just talking about money. We also need to tell ourselves that we have more than enough time to get involved in helping care for others. We have more than enough talent, skill, and ability to reach out to someone else and make a difference. We have more than enough resources to give and give generously and yes, we have more than enough money as well.
No matter who we are, if we trust God and believe that God will provide for all our needs, then we will begin to see that we have more than enough to give. Whether we are living paycheck to paycheck, climbing out of debt, paying off a mortgage or student loans, we still have more than enough to give and give generously. We all face our own financial realities and struggles, but as our faith grows we begin to see that no matter what we have, we have more than enough to be generous.
If we think about giving God a percentage of our income, then it doesn’t matter how much money we make or have, there is always something we can give to God, the church, or those in need. If we only make $100 a month that’s ok, maybe we give $5 or $10 of that, 5 or 10%. If we make $1,000 a month, then maybe we give $50 or $100. If we make a million in a year, then maybe we give $50 or $100K. No matter what we earn or have, can we give a percentage to God?
I’ve shared this before, but when I started at my first church, I had just graduated from seminary and had gone through all my savings. My financial reality was that I didn’t have any reserves in my checking account, no savings account, no investments and I had to begin paying off my student loans as well as a loan from my parents. I wasn’t making a lot of money as a first year local pastor at a struggling church in Altoona, I was at the very bottom of the pay scale, but when I found a box of offering envelopes on my desk when I arrived, I had to think about giving.
I knew I would never be able to utter the word tithe, which is a gift of 10% to the church, if I didn’t actually do it. So I did it. It was the first time I ever intentionally gave to the church and I remember figuring out what that amount was and it was more than I had ever given to the church and I was telling myself I was now going to give that every week. It was nerve wracking, but I did it. It was a step of faith and God worked out the finances.
In order to be generous we have to turn around the idea that we don’t have enough and tell ourselves that we have more than enough. We have more than enough time, gifts, skills, and money to give. It was out of their extreme poverty that the churches of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea gave to their brothers and sisters. With as little as they had, they still had more than enough to give, and when they gave they were filled with joy. They experienced the reality of what Jesus said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.
2. We have to stop thinking that we have is ours and that it all belongs to God. Near the end of King David’s life, he told the people that his son, Solomon, was going to build the Temple. The Temple was going to be the finest building in the world and it was going to need an abundance of gold, silver, bronze, gemstones, and wood. For the Temple to be built, everyone was going to have to give financially, but they were also going to have to give their time and skills and abilities to make the Temple happen. David reminded them that they could give, and could give generously because it all belonged to God in the first place.
After talking about all the resources that were going to be needed for the Temple, David said, Who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. 1 Chronicles 29:14
David was asking if the people really could give what was needed for the Temple, and his answer was, of course we can because everything we have comes from God, and God gives so that we can bless others, help others, and see the greatness of God at work in the world. If we think of ourselves as stewards instead of owners, maybe how we use our resources would change.
This idea needs to be part of our faith and mindset. What we have isn’t ours, its Gods. God has given it to us and God is asking us to be good stewards of it and to use what we have, all that we have, to not only care for our families but to bless others. If we will give as God calls us to give, with all that belongs to Him, not only will joy overflow in our lives, but so will God’s provision. God will provide for us as we provide for others.
3. We have to start thinking I will give NOW and not WHEN. Too often I tell God, I’ll give when. Just a few months ago I said, I’ll give when I leave the restaurant and if they are still there. All too often we lose the opportunity to give if we put it off.
Many opportunities to be generous and bless others come in a moment. Seeing a need at the store, an opportunity in a restaurant, hearing about a situation at work, at school, or at the church; it’s often there one moment and gone the next. We need to jump on the opportunities to give when we first feel God’s prompting us to give. If we want the overflow of joy and blessing in our lives, then we need to make giving and generosity an ongoing part of our lives.
I’m not saying we shouldn’t be wise in our giving and thoughtful about what God is asking of us, but take it from someone who has made excuses, waited too long and missed opportunities to give, it’s important to give now. The other problem with saying, I’ll give when, is that there is never really a good time to give because we can always find an excuse to hold us back.
I’ll give when I am out of debt.
I’ll given when the mortgage is paid
I’ll given when I get the next raise
I’ll give when the kids are out of diapers, out of college.
I’ll give when I have enough money in my IRA.
I’ll give when I retire and have more time.
Let’s face it, there is never a good time to give, so we can’t tell ourselves we will give when, we need to tell ourselves that we can and are going to give now.
You can give now. You have more than enough, it all belongs to God anyway and there are opportunities right now to give your money, your time, your gifts, your leadership, and your faith.
Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Joy comes in giving and your generosity can change the lives of others and it can change your life as well. So I invite you to find a way to give now.
Pick up a shoebox or stop at the OCC table to learn how your giving to children around the world can fill you with joy. Find a way to give this month out of the abundance God has given you.
Give thanks for all God has given you by giving to God and those around you. Find a way to give in this upcoming Advent and Christmas season. As we celebrate God giving his all to us in Jesus, find a way you can give your all to God, the church, and the world.
God’s giving change the world. God’s giving changed us. Our giving can change the world and if it doesn’t change the world, it’s ok because it will change world, it will change our lives. Give today and be blessed. Give and experience the overflow of joy in your life. It is more blessed to give.
Next Steps
Overflow - Generosity
Jesus said, it is more blessed to give… (Acts 20:35)
Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-5
The churches of Macedonia didn’t see giving as a financial matter but a faith matter. Not only did they give out of their poverty, but they gave eagerly, joyfully, willingly and irrationally (beyond what they could do).
What would this kind of giving look like in your life?
Three mindsets that can help us give generously.
1. We have MORE than enough to give.
● Do you believe this? Why or why not?
● Have you ever given out of your poverty? What happened?
● Who has been an example to you about giving generously?
● What would a tithe look like for you and your family?
2. It all belongs to God. Read 1 Chronicles 29:1-9
● How does David inspire the people to give to the building of the Temple? What was their response?
● What things do you see as “yours” and what things do you see as “God’s”?
3. Give NOW not WHEN
● When have you given spontaneously?
● What missed giving opportunities have you experienced?
● What is one way you can give
○ Today
○ During the season of Thanksgiving
○ During Advent and Christmas
