The most valuable asset

The subject of today’s devotional seems to be ‘giving generously’ but it really is about faith. My sister taught me a tremendous truth: not only is it impossible to out-give God, but if I give something away that I need, God will give it back to me. This means that I’m trusting Him.

As for the tithe, it is mentioned in the New Testament only when Jesus told the Pharisees that they were giving their ten percent but neglected to be just and merciful (see Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:41) His point was that they fell short in of the righteousness that God requires. He used the OT law to do it, which is its purpose — to show all of us that we fall short.

After Jesus died and rose from the dead, the message is how the grace of God applies to our shortfall. For those who trust Him, He changes lives. Tight-fisted souls who only look out for themselves are transformed into people who love and trust Him with everything. We see others in need and give, without worry about how we will manage without whatever we gave because our God takes care of us. All we have is His anyway; we are just stewards of it.

“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it.” (2 Corinthians 8:1–10)

My dear sister is a giver. She knows that God is her source. She has often donated money that had been allocated for her own necessities, yet within a day or so, something unexpected happens and that money comes back to her, often beyond the amount she gave. Not that God requires this generosity, but He certainly honors it. His plan is to take care of everyone, often using another one of His stewards to do it.

“For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, ‘Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.’” (2 Corinthians 8:12–15)

The Bible says Jesus was rich and become poor for our sakes. Today’s devotional reading says, “He was betrayed, mocked and beaten. He was crucified. God made his Son to be sin for us! There he was robbed of all the joy of heaven and the comfort of his Father’s presence. His dying bed was a malefactor’s cross. His resting place was a borrowed tomb. What was the reason for such humiliation?” He did it that through that poverty we might be rich!

^^^^^^^

Jesus, I can scarcely imagine what it was like for You to become poor, but I do know that riches You make available for the necessities of life, yet You supply so much more. You have made me rich in Your love and grace. Your abundant supply is overwhelming. I have peace that passes understanding, joy that stays with me even in trials, and love for others that I never expected. One of the best resources is the deep contentment You produce in my heart. You became poor so I could be rich. You are my most valuable asset because You take care of all my needs.

Generosity is about faith in my supplier . . .

Challenged by the “Living Generously” Seminar last weekend, I’ve been asking the Lord how I should respond. A woman in our small group decided the group should respond by giving clothing to the homeless. I’ve thought about that, and realize that winter is coming and the homeless will be subject to cold weather, but is that their greatest need? Is that the best way to help them?

This morning I asked the Lord again about generosity (this is more than just money). My first thought was the burden I have, not for the poor but for young people who want to go to Bible school and cannot afford it. This relates somewhat to my spiritual gift of teaching and my desire that Christians think with the mind of Christ which has been given them. While we all agreed to bring donations for the homeless, others in our small group will have different burdens. My husband is burdened to help someone who is not homeless but unemployed.

Having a heart to be generous comes from Jesus. He is the ultimate giver and sets a high standard for His followers. That standard goes beyond giving out of our abundance and asks that we give in sacrificial ways.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Even in His birth, Christ became poor. I’ve tried to think of what He left behind to come here and become one of us. Could it be like me becoming an ant or a flea so I could bring a great gift to those critters? Could it be like me moving to the street and living without anything but the clothes on my back so I could share the Gospel with those who would not otherwise listen to someone who has a home?

Jesus gave up heaven’s perfection to be born in a stable to a couple who were graced by being ordinary. While they loved and obeyed God, they had no status or position and were sinners just like the rest of us.

Jesus who has everlasting life was also born to die. He did not consider Himself more important than the needs of those He came to redeem from sin. He took our nature (but without sin) that He might put Himself in our place and suffer for sin, satisfying the wrath of God against sin. He knew that He would rise from the dead, but for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross and the shame of it.

He was also born into relative poverty, not that poverty is shameful but that He could have chosen a palace. This choice is perhaps the most relevant to my thinking on generous living. God has given me much, yet I am not an owner but a manager of all these resources. I could choose to indulge myself. I could choose a palace (of sorts), or I can decide to forego whatever uses I might find for what I have and become poor that through my poverty others can profit.

Whatever sacrifices I make are small compared to the great sacrifice made by the Son of God, yet He is not measuring the size of what flows out of generosity. He lauded the poor widow who only gave a couple pennies, but “she gave all she had” and that was commendable in His eyes.

Being generous means that in giving time, money or anything else, I learn to think like He thinks and that I have a heart that is ready to respond to whatever He asks me to do . . .

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.” (2 Corinthians 8:12–15)

The most interesting part of this is the reality of God being the owner and me being a manager. If I give something away and it turns out that I need it, the Owner is quite happy and perfectly able to supply whatever is missing. In this arrangement, the needy person has no lack and God takes care of me too.