By Dynamis Ministries | April 8, 2021
Oftentimes, a challenge to living generously is getting out of the weeds of all the details and possibilities around giving. Questions abound, “Can I afford to make this gift? Do I really have the time to volunteer? Can somebody else step up? Will my gift even make a difference? Should my tithe be based off my gross or net income? How do I decide what causes to support?” There are a lot of unknowns that can complicate our generosity, so it is important to stay at the heart of giving, which is a willing spirit being guided by God’s promptings.
Remember from Holy Week that God set the ultimate example for generosity through Jesus giving himself on the cross. God wants to guide our generosity. We need to be willing to let him. Before answering all the questions of how much to give or what causes to support, we should start with the habit of beginning each day with a willful decision to give ourselves to God. Amazing things will happen when we are in this posture!
Consider the story of Carl, a successful and powerful businessman who owns several restaurant franchises. One day he was greeted by a homeless man outside a café he was visiting for lunch. While eating his meal, he felt God was directing him to do something and help the man. But he wasn’t feeling it and didn’t want to go there with God on this particular day. He was too busy, too stressed. The nudge didn’t go away; it increased. Finally, Carl stood up from his table, went outside, and gave the man a $20 bill. He looked the homeless man in the eyes and spontaneously said, “This is for you, Jesus says hello.” Today, Carl shares that he will never forget the look in the man’s eyes in that moment, eyes with renewed hope. This encounter has now led Carl to begin plans for starting a charity called “Jesus Says Hello” with a sizable investment.
More often than we realize, God wants us to join in his love and compassion by partnering in generous acts throughout our day, our week, our month. If we pay attention to these subtle prompts from God nudging us to step outside our comfort zone and make that call, cook that meal, give that money, or take any other action God may be calling us to, it can open the door to opportunities we never imagined. Carl’s obedience and $20 gift sparked the vision for a new charity. We never know how our next act of giving could bear fruit thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold too! We just need to make ourselves available, submitting to God and asking him to make us aware of opportunities to be generous to the people we encounter. Make this commitment now and be ready for an adventure with God!
