Written by Dynamis Ministries | June 20, 2024
Who doesn’t enjoy a good heist movie?!? You know, those stories of an underdog, down on their luck who uses wit, collaboration, physical prowess, intricately designed planning and risks it all to take something from an evil, oppressive, arrogant and often wealthy villain. These movies provide great entertainment value, whether it be suspense, humor or inspiration. But at the heart of these films, we all like the feel-good story of the good guy prevailing and the bad guy losing.
Yet as we know, Hollywood films don’t always capture reality. Sometimes in life, it seems like the good guy loses and the bad guy wins. Sometimes, we find ourselves in the seat of the good guy. We’re the ones feeling duped, taken advantage of or swindled. Can you relate? Perhaps there was an individual in need that shared a heart-wrenching story that moved you to give only to later find out that their story wasn’t true. Maybe you’ve loaned money with an agreement you would be paid back, but the recipient never upheld their promise. Or maybe you invested years in supporting the mission of a ministry or organization but discovered that they were misusing funds or not operating out of their values. The feeling of being taken advantage of can lead to shame, embarrassment, anger or regret even in our generosity stories.
So, a question becomes, “As we grow in our generosity potential, how do we live in the tension of wanting to be generous but also guarding our resources so as not to be taken advantage of?” When we look at scripture it’s clear that wisdom is an attribute we should all seek to grow in, and as stewards of God’s gifts to us, we have the responsibility to handle our resources wisely. Exercising caution and discernment can be part of bringing wisdom into our generosity expressions, and this posture certainly honors God. However, if we were to spend time examining our own hearts, would we feel convicted of how often we take advantage of God’s generosity towards us? Every single day God lavashes his love and blessings on us, and yet so often we take advantage of that by wasting or misusing our time, gifts or resources for our selfish desires instead of God’s glory. And yet, praise be to God as this does not stop him from continuing to pour out blessings in our lives!
This reality should change the way think about others taking advantage of our generosity. This does not mean we shouldn’t exercise sound judgment when choosing who or where to be generous to. And it doesn’t suggest we take down important boundaries around our giving. It’s just that ultimately our generosity is a response to God’s generosity toward us. If God continues to give to us, even when we take advantage of his blessings, then shouldn’t we be willing to exercise that same grace toward others? We cannot always control how our generosity will be received, but we can control how we respond when we feel nudged by God to give. When we act out of faith and obedience to God, we are pleasing Him, and this should free us from the care of being taken advantage of. Be encouraged today that God is good, and he can work all things for good! Continue to act in obedience to God’s leading and trust him to take care of the rest.
