Week 35: Be Generous

Leadership is a gift on loan from God, just as all gifts are. And with every leader comes a unique, dominant gift or ability to be used to benefit others. Paul brought this home when he asked, “Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive [from God]?”

I was born with blue eyes, but I didn’t cause that. I’m five foot and eleven inches tall. I didn’t make that happen. I was born with the talent to draw and paint abstracts and pictures. I didn’t cause that either. I was gifted and ordained by God to serve and prepare the saints for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:11-12). God did all of that, too. For me? For us? No, for others. Therefore, as freely as we have received—freely give (Matthew 10:9).

God made you and I different in so many ways that we must never forget—he did it with a plan in mind. He designed us to take all we have received from him and be generous with it. Why? Because if his gifts in us are to ever reach their fullest potential, it will require of us to be generous with them.

“Generous” defined is: showing a readiness to give more of something—like talent, money or time—than is strictly necessary or expected. It is to be open-handed, unselfish, benevolent, big-hearted, kind, and magnanimous with what we’ve been given. Jesus exemplified this through healing all who came to him, feeding the multitudes, ministering to the poor and, ultimately, going to the cross—for us. None of the gifts bestowed upon his life were wasted, not even the vessel of his body, which he gave completely over to the Father’s will—for all the world.

When Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—as is written about me in the Scriptures.'” [1]

Recently I was with a pastor in Hong Kong who stopped to give money to every beggar on the skywalk. Many were crippled and deformed, yet had some measure of talent they used to create items for sale or to play music for the passerby’s. These beggars were mostly “invisible” to the masses, but not to this pastor who gave every bit of change in bills or coins she had by the time we crossed over that bridge. She didn’t do this to impress me, she did it because she’s a generous leader who knows where her blessings have come from.

Though I’ve never been wealthy or made great money, I’ve had enough talents and abilities to be generous with them, no matter what my financial condition. We all have some type of talent we can generously use to bless others. Tabitha was a seamstress in the book of Acts who lived in Joppa. She used her talent to make clothes for people. Because she blessed them this way, they brought Peter from nearby Lydda to pray for her when she became sick and died. Peter came and prayed, then turned to her body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” The generosity of Tabitha turned her beneficiaries into intercessors who brought an apostle from Lydda to raise her from the dead. Her resurrection became known over all of Joppa, resulting in many believing in the Lord. Her generosity was surpassed by God’s generosity. Her name and deeds immortalized in the Bible.

Random acts of generosity should be exemplified in the life of a leader each day. A leader can be generous with words of encouragement. Generous in gratitude for others. Generous in prayers for others. Generous to employees, staff, co-workers, their spouse, their children, their neighbors, their community, their relatives and to strangers.

As in the case of Tabitha, such generosity will surely come back to you one day, especially when your motive is not for self-glory, but for God’s glory. Your benevolence, your generous spirit will cause those you bestow kindness upon, to lift their voices in praise and thanksgiving to God. And you’ll find God lavishing more of the same upon you, your ministry, or your enterprise—so that you may continue to be generous in a way that benefits others.

Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.

As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.

Thank God for this gift [of generosity] too wonderful for words![2]

—the apostle Paul

[1] Hebrews 10:5-7 Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

[2] 2 Corinthians 9:6-15—Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved. (Bracketed words added by me for emphasis of the contextual meaning).