Learning Generosity
Abundance isn’t God’s provision for me to live in luxury. It’s his provision for me to help others live. God entrusts me with his money not to build my kingdom on earth, but to build his kingdom in heaven. (Randy Alcorn)
The Start of My Journey
Because of wise advice, I did something very smart when I first became a Christian. In college, I started to give a tithe when I had very little. My 10% to the church wasn’t much, but I dropped a small check in the offering plate every week. That one habit helped me side-step one of the enemy’s deadliest traps; the love of money.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10)
A Radical Shift in My Thinking
While still in college, I came to understand something extraordinary. Because I was born in an industrialized nation, I was automatically wealthier than 90% of the human beings sharing the earth with me. Please read my earlier post, A Life-Changing Meal to hear how that revelation changed everything.
I carried that truth inside even when I worked a minimum wage job, lived in a small apartment over my landlady’s garage and rode a bicycle to work. Other people compare themselves to millionaires and grow envious? I often compare myself to people in other nations who struggle with famine, disease and unclean water.
I live a thankful, contented life.
My Spiritual Point
I will never match the poor widow’s generosity in Mark 12:41-44.
But I do support a few charities monthly, or give one-time gifts when the Holy Spirit taps me on shoulder, or places a person on my heart. I’m still learning it’s His money, not mine. And I won’t know this side of Heaven what fruit blooms in eternity because I obeyed His prompting and mailed a check.
One thing I do know; God will always accomplish more then we expect.
This image came from Pixabay.com
