Written by Guest Contributor, Bruce Strom | November 9, 2023
My generosity journey began with my grandmother. She immigrated from Norway in the 1920’s. Grandma worked until she was 80 as a nanny and church custodian. While she had little, she generously gave her time and faithfully supported Christian causes. Jesus commended a poor widow for her generosity of faith and giving (Luke 21:1-4). That was my grandmother. On the day she died, she wrote two checks to ministries, which was the last money she had. She went to bed and peacefully passed into the arms of Jesus.
My grandmother had one son, my father. He grew up in the basement of a church she cleaned. Her faithful generosity helped my father enter ministry where he would serve from church pulpits for 40 years. My father met and married my mother as she was studying to be a nurse in foreign missions. They both modeled generous service to their three sons. I was the oldest and most head strung. At a young age I did not fully appreciate the generational blessing the Lord provided. I saw generational poverty and vowed to break the cycle. I became a lawyer.
God’s saving grace in my life was marrying a beautiful Puerto Rican girl from the Bronx. She had a servant heart and prayed for God to open my eyes to the blessing of generosity that was not tied to wealth. For the first decade of my legal career, I was intent on building bigger barns (Lk. 12:15-21). But Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Lk. 12:15). He said that was foolish and one needed to be rich toward God instead.
My wife’s prayers were answered through a Christmas present she made for me while pregnant with our twin sons. She handwrote index cards with 365 verses of justice from the Bible. As I read those verses one caught my attention: “This is what the Lord Almighty said, ‘Administer true justice, show mercy and compassion to one another” (Zec. 7:9).
God had given me a law degree, which I had used to get rich in this world without true mercy or compassion. God pulled me out of big law and moved me into big love as I closed my practice and followed him to the poor through a ministry called Administer Justice, which empowers vulnerable neighbors with the help of a lawyer and the hope of God’s love.
As I yielded to God by letting go of money, I understood the joy of my grandmother, and my parents. A legacy is not what you leave to someone, it is what you leave in someone. I inherited generational generosity, not in wealth but wisdom. Maybe you do not have that generational generosity legacy, but you can begin a new legacy today by investing what you have in the loving service of others. Whether time, talent, or treasure, invest today and yield the dividends for generations.
Bio:
Bruce Strom is a lawyer, pastor, author, speaker, husband and father of twin sons who loves God and his neighbor. He doesn’t just say it – he lives it. Bruce left a successful career as the senior partner of a multi-office law practice to start Administer Justice, a legal aid ministry in 2000. What began in one church has grown to a national movement in more than 80 churches across the United States. A powerful advocate for the poor and vulnerable, Bruce encourages the church, attorneys, and individuals to step out of their comfort zone and do justice. He is the author of Persevering Power (IVP) and Gospel Justice (Moody).
