Blog

Generosity

February 9, 2018

Generous people are an extraordinary and rare group of people. The gift of generosity is not nearly as common as the more visible gifts, but God has used The Generous among us to move mountains that the greatest singers and preachers could never budge alone. We are able to put on world-changing events and conferences every year because of those who generously underwrite the major expenses.

 

While we are ALL called to give, the difference makers in every major move in THIS ministry have been those who I call, The Generous. What seems to set them apart from the crowd are these extraordinary perspectives.

 

The Generous have these perspectives

• They measure accomplishment and success over the course of a life
• They recognize that they cannot take their wealth or resources with them when they die
• They have the ability to focus on what matters most. Their eyes are on what could be and not stuck solely on their current circumstances.
• They see solutions. They don’t just see a problem, they see what could be when you add their time, energy, or finances.
• They ask God the simplest of questions. “Lord, is this something you want me to be a part of?” They know it is wasted energy until the get the nod from God.
• They are able to see bigger than the “ask” that is before them. They aren’t nearly as interested in buying apples to give to people to eat as they are in planting apple trees that will supply fruit for generations
• The Generous don’t just see what they can do, they have a mental rolodex of others they could bring to the table who could bring an even bigger blessing.
• The Generous don’t think small or temporary, they think in terms of permanent solutions.

 

Final Thoughts

Psalm 147:9-10 says, “He (God) does not take delight the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy.”

 

The Generous know, maybe more than anyone else, that the right place to give is the most important factor, more than any tax write-off, more than any public recognition. It’s the blessing on the gift that makes the experience so extraordinary.

 

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.  And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, and he will not judge by what his eyes see, nor make a decision by what his ears hear.

                                                                                                                                    Isaiah 11:2-3

 

How generous are you? How generous do you want to be?

 

Let’s talk.