Biblical Principles of Generosity In Daily Living

1. Biblical Principles of Generosity In Daily Living

2. The careful reading and analysis of the Bible and God’s relation with man will reveal several principles of generosity that God designed for man to develop or adopt in his daily life.

3. We can find some of these in the creation story, the salvation/redemption plan and in the life and teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.

4. When mankind came from the creator’s hand, they found a world ready and waiting for them. God had prepared all that man needed before in preparation for his arrival.

5. God then commissioned man to oversea his creation—a stewardship responsibility. The effect of this is that man did not own or earn that which God gave him.

6. He could not boast of having made, worked for or purchased the world. He was to keep it or manage it on behalf of God. • In this condition and under these circumstances, man had no opportunity to think of selfish motivations.

7. And, as man lived with the various animals and plants, as he spent his time in caring for the creation, he learnt to enjoy a life of service. • According to oxforddictionaries.com, one definition of service is “the action of helping or doing work for someone.” • www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/service

8. Service is closely associated with generosity as it helps persons to focus on others and less on self. • Thus, Man’s activities in Eden were designed to focus his attention on generosity and service.

9. Right from the beginning, God designed that man should develop, in his every-day activity, the attitude of generosity. It is clear that God’s plan was for man to be more “other-focused” and less “self-focused.”

10. Another principle of the generosity that God wants man to practice can be seen in the way God related to man in his fallen condition of sin.

11. When Adam and Eve sinned in Eden, they were immediately struck with fear and guilt. • God’s response was to provide for their need. He provided covering for their nakedness and hope for their hopelessness.

12. God was here giving to undeserving mankind what they could not do for themselves. • They were to ever remember that their living depended on the actions of another.

13. Similarly, when God chose Israel as a nation, he started with a human impossibility—Abraham was old and his wife was barren and beyond childbearing age. • Their survival as a nation was completely dependent on the grace of God, not on their own actions.

14. And in a similar sense, Christianity’s foundation rests on the sacrificial death of Jesus—a gift of life to undeserving mankind.

15. Anyone who therefore responds to the grace of God and becomes a Christian should understand that his/her life is a gift. • Thus, self-denial has become one of the basic principles of Christianity. • Self-denial breathes generosity.

16. The New Testament itself is filled with several principles of generosity. Jesus said that if anyone wants to follow him, such a one must deny self. (Matt 16:24, Luke 9:23, Mark 8:34).

17. We also find Jesus in Luke 6:38 instructing his disciples: “give and it will be given to you.” • In the same sermon he earlier said “be merciful, just as your Father in merciful.” (Luke 6:36).

18. Jesus shared a parable of a rich man who decided to hoard rather than share. • He was condemned as a fool and perished that very night. (Luke 12:16-21).

19. Verse 21 is particularly important in terms of the practice of generosity. It says, “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

20. Tithing and Blessings • We already saw that man was created to be in stewardship relationship with God. • In Eden, God gave man a test of his loyalty to him and his principles of generosity/service. • Man was to refrain from eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

21. Satan tempted man in the area of selfish desires and man failed. In a similar way, man is to prove his loyalty to God and his principles of generosity by being faithful to God in returning tithes and offerings.

22. It would appear that man’s biggest struggle is a struggle with self. • The principle of tithing and offering affords us the privilege of overcoming our struggle with self.

23. When Adam ate of the forbidden tree in Eden, he lost out on the blessings of Eden. • When today we withhold our tithes and offerings we will likewise lose the blessings of God’s generosity.

24. Malachi 3 makes it clear that God will bless the faithful and that those who disobey will receive a curse. • Tithing is building a faith relationship with God. It constantly reminds us that God is in control and that we are his stewards.

25. Generosity and Debt-free Living: • God desires all his stewards to practice the principles of generosity in their daily lives. • The principle of generosity is about an attitude of unselfishness that makes us willing to help others and give with joy as a way of life.

26. This giving can be in the form of time, knowledge, or whatever resources God has entrusted to us. One may consider generosity as a form of service.

27. Since we owe all to God, our lives should be lives of service. • The concern here is about fulfilling God’s purposes in our lives. It is about knowing that I belong to God and that everything that I have is given to me by him to fulfill his purposes.

28. One should therefore be willing and happy to use his/her resources to advance the cause of God. It is a service we owe him.

29. How does one view generosity in light of living a debt-free life? Will the practice of generosity interfere with this ambition? • At first, it may appear that generosity can impact one’s desire to live a debt-free life.

30. Such a view is likely to make one believe that rich folks can be more generous than others. We have been conditioned to think that way but that is not at all the case.

31. Jesus demonstrated that real generosity is not in the size of the gift but in the attitude behind the gift. • The widow gave all she had but it was only two mites. Jesus however declared that she gave more than anyone else. (Mark 12: 43,44).

32. It is the attitude behind the act that matters. And this is where the relationship between debt and giving can be seen. • The practice of generosity makes us unselfish.

33. When we are unselfish, we will think less about acquiring unnecessary items just for the sake of satisfying our selfish desires. • One of the main reason people develop debt is to satisfy their selfish desires.

34. Thus, the generous persons will likely not run into debt as readily as the selfish person. • Jesus’ counsel in Luke 12:21 is worth remembering. The one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God is a fool.