“Generosity of the heart is the root of generosity in all its forms.”
We want to focus on this big idea today as we discuss giving to the missions ministry in Tixtla de Guerrero, Mexico. Generosity is not just about giving; it’s about wanting to give. “Cheerful giving” is commanded in 2 Corinthians 9:7, indicating that those who are reluctant or grouchy in giving cannot be considered generous. Genuine generosity requires a willing heart that desires to give.
THE HEART OF GENEROSITY
As Christians, we are responsible for emulating a God “who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). This trademark grace characterizes those we think of as generous. This kind of generosity drives us to the edge of refusal, as someone does so much good for us that we could never ask for more. This kind of generosity comes willingly, not reluctantly.
GOD’S STANDARD OF GENEROSITY
We have a calling to be generous, whether we are naturally inclined to give or struggle with generosity. Similar to how we call those naturally impatient to be patient, and those who battle anger to be peaceful, we are called to be like our God, who does more than we could ever ask or think.
In Matthew 5:38–42, Jesus describes this type of action. At that time, the Roman soldiers could request the Hebrews to carry their load for a mile as a legal requirement. Any Jew who acquiesced would not be considered generous but only lawful. Yet the Jew who went the whole way, as Jesus describes, would undoubtedly be generous and baffling.
The Bible shows us that God smiles upon those who are generous. In Mark 12:41–44 and Luke 21:1–4, we see the widow who gifted two mites in her offering, which was far more to her than the significant sums the legal officials loudly proffered. She earned Jesus’s notice for her true piety. In Genesis 4:2–8, we have Abel, who found God’s favor (and his brother’s enmity) for his lavish gifts and offering of the firstborn of his livestock. God sees the whole picture and expects us to be generous with what he entrusted us.
The Scriptures show that we must rely on God’s grace to achieve what he calls us to. Philippians 2:13 reads, “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” God is giving us the ability and the will to do what he calls us to do. All he requires from us is the willingness we might find even in the most begrudging givers. When we turn the rest over to him, we will arrive where he called us. By His grace, we gain generous hearts.
LOVE MOTIVATES GENEROSITY
But before we give, it’s essential to remember that we are doing it out of love. Love motivates us to be generous, as the Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV). Therefore, our generosity should not be motivated by obligation or guilt but rather by a deep love for others, just as God loved and gave us everything. As the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:3, “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (NIV).
Furthermore, as we give towards missions and support those in need, we should also remember that our generosity is not just about meeting their physical needs but also about sharing the love of Christ with them. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (NIV). Therefore, let us give generously towards missions, not just to meet their physical needs but also to share the love of Christ with them, just as God loved us and gave everything for us out of His love.
THE PURPOSE OF GENEROSITY
So, what’s the application point? When we have generous hearts, generous actions come much more quickly. Let us strive to be cheerful givers, like the widow who gave her two mites and like Abel, who offered the firstborn of his livestock. In May, we will all be allowed to give towards the missions ministry in Tixtla de Guerrero, Mexico, with a generous heart, knowing that God smiles upon those who are generous at heart.
