Hi There!
Welcome to Part II of the 3 Characteristics of Givers! This time around we are covering the face they are GENEROUS! You can’t love the Lord and be stingy because if we reflect the Father we do it best in what we give. He gave His only son so that we would have eternal life (John 3:16)
Foundation Verses in Psalm 37
21: The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers.
26: The godly always give generous loans to others, and their children are a blessing.
Don’t Be Stingy!
You can’t experience the fullness of the Word until you truly become a giver. Stinginess is a characteristic of the world. People are always counting every penny and are normally unwilling to share or bless.
The Word says it’s better to give than it is to receive in Acts 20:35. Everything in this world is temporary. Our job is to steward (take care of wisely) what we have until it’s time to pass it on. What does that look like though?
This year during my church’s annual women’s conference one morning a friend of mine turned to me and just shared that she wanted a purse of her own. I immediately knew one of my bags would become hers. I just didn’t know what bag or when. I remember the Thursday night of the service sitting next to my best friends and the more my pastor preached the offering the more I felt I needed to give my purse away. This wasn’t just any purse though. It was incredibly special to me. It was the nicest one I’ve ever owned yet. It had space for my computer, notebooks, and pretty much whatever I needed for my day-to-day and church PLUS it was a gift from my mom. Every time I used it I took it out of its dustbag and when I was done it would go back into the dustbag. I had stewarded it will because I wanted it to always look pristine.
I was so ready to give that bag I would’ve dumped all my stuff out in the second row and passed it on. Later that night I emptied it of all my things and as my friend was trying to tell me a story I told her to wait a moment. She was confused as to why I was emptying all of my things from notebooks to my in-ear headphones for worship. I turned to her and with teary eyes said that since service I felt an urge to give it to her and that my time owning the bag was over. In my flesh, I would’ve loved to keep the bag but it’s just a materialistic thing that was enjoyable for the time being but it was time for the next person to have it. Seeing her appreciation and slight shock was a sweet experience I will never forget because I watched a desire of hers be met. I could have
You Sow, You Reap
Imagine if I hadn’t taken care of that bag! I wouldn’t have had something of mine to give. Being a good steward is so important – even beyond money. Our giftings are also to be stewarded but that’s for another day.
When we give we we are showing we trust the Lord. Sometimes we give away things that we need but it’s always a testimony in the making because no seed comes back as a seed. It comes back as a big harvest. You plant a seed or two and you start growing a garden. I always like to say everything great comes from something that started small. Whether that was an idea, a financial seed, etc.
Reaping and sowing is a principle that will always continue on this earth. We will always have seasons so we will always have reaping and sowing. That same way those two exist giving guarantees protections and benefits found in the Word. So be sure to not rob God. That is one scary place to be. Always give your tithe but always your offerings as well and follow the Holy Ghost! Your tithe is the bare minimum you give to the Lord of 10% which is honestly very little. (If you want more info on that go read Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7). Your offerings are above that 10% and it’s important to give that because 1. God has given you Jesus and the Holy Ghost and from the abundance in our heart of gratitude and love, we ought to give. 2. I was once told you can give without loving but you can’t love without giving.
Give and Do it Often
When I give I show the Lord that as much as I would like to hold on I know it’s better in His hands and that He takes care of me and I trust that His word is true. When you sow generous seeds and do it regularly and not just twice a year you will have a perpetual, ongoing, nonstop harvest following you.
Repeatedly in the Word and Psalm 37, we see that the godly are paired with the word generous and or givers. So if you are godly or are wanting to be godly make giving practice in your life. Always ask the Lord to bring blessings to you and through you. You can’t give what you don’t have. Ask the Lord for an increase too!
Until next time,
Kez
