LEARNING DAILY

Luke 6:38a, “Give and it will be given to you,”  Jesus

I had a great week visiting with my sister and brother (-in-law); but it is good to be home!

The message this weekend at Community Bible Church was about “Radical Generosity”. Pastor Newton made it very clear that this was not a message about money. He gave a good quote from Bob Marley, and it is a good start to this page of the blog. “Some people are so poor that all they have is money.” Those people hold on so tight to what money they have that it becomes so important they only think about how not to lose it. “Generosity begins in the heart and the hand responds to what the heart says” (Pastor). He went on to say. “It is not about what I own, but what owns me.” So, if the message was not about money what was he talking about?

He spoke about God wanting us to be good stewards of everything God has given to us. He reminded us of all the things God has given to us and that He wants us to give to others from what He has given us. Pastor continued saying that God wants to continue giving as we give from what He has already given to us. He used the example of how we have a closed hand, holding on tight to what we have when we should have an open hand giving from what we have. When we give with an open hand God continues to give because our hand is open to receive as well as give. The one with the closed hand is not able to receive.  “We give to get in order to give again!” Take a moment to reread that and allow Pastor’s statement to sink in and remember the hand reacts to what the heart says.

Allow me to write about the five ways we receive from God that He wants us to share with those around us. Remember as we share with that open hand, God continues to bless us with more. Yes, there is the financial blessings. God does not need our money; He gives in order for us to take care of ourselves but to also bless and help others. We certainly have that ability and that opportunity.

But there is so much more God gives us. For example, when Jesus becomes our Savior and Lord, we have the opportunity to tell others we know Him. Even more importantly, we can tell others that Jesus knows us. God knows me as His son! Because of that I can really know Jesus as I read/study/meditate on His Word. That keeps me on the narrow way where I begin to be more and more like Him. In that process I can share with others just what He is doing in my life to cleanse me, so I become more like Him.

In that process, I begin to gain wisdom and knowledge. That is not only knowledge from the Bible but through the “school of hard knocks”. You know what I mean. The wisdom and knowledge can be used to help others as they go through the various situations and circumstances they face. That means sometimes verbally encouraging someone or just listening. It might even mean helping through that open hand with financial blessings.

There is another way we can show generosity – through our relationships. That means being a friend. Pastor emphasized the blessing of having even just one true friend. I’m not talking about acquaintances; I’m talking about that person you can call in the middle of the night when the need arises or the person you can call and ask for them to pray, knowing they will and not just say they will.

The last thing Pastor mentioned about how we can reveal the generosity of God is through our physical capital; we are still breathing, still have a purpose in God’s plan. As a song says, “If you’re not dead, God has a plan for you!”

These things reveal the goodness of God to us! Each of us can share our financial wealth with those less fortunate. Each of us can share what Jesus has done in our lives to changes us. Each of us can share the knowledge God has given to us and can do our best to be the friend that others may need. All of us can be thankful for each breath we take, no matter what we face. All of this reveals the goodness of God to others and displays “radical generosity” to others!

“We give to get to give again”! That is a pretty good thought to keep in mind. And remember it is not just money!