Rethinking Generosity

by Tim Hunter

There are few topics as hard to discuss in the church today as money. Many pastors express their discomfort at preaching on the topic. Church members likely don’t have money on their top five sermon topics. Whether it is because of publicized scandals involving money within the church, or the heavily nuanced nature of the topic - it is no doubt a touchy subject. So, as an unqualified poor, college student I figured I would talk about money. Recently in my study of scripture, I came across the first five verses of 2 Corinthians 9 - and it opened my eyes to the opportunity that money provides. What if generosity was meant to be more than a legalistic number expected of church members to tithe or a means to assuaging guilt? What if generosity and the way that we as Jesus followers use our money was an invitation to experience more of God’s grace and advance the kingdom? Armed with this “what if” let’s look at four principles about generosity that I believe have the potential to shift our mindset.

Generosity finds its root in the grace of God.
As Paul prepares to launch into a two-chapter-long discussion on money and generosity he does not start by saying: “you need to give more.” Rather, chapter 9 starts with an invitation to take part in a story of the grace of God. “We want you to know brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.” If we want a biblical understanding of generosity we must understand that generosity must always be rooted in the grace of God, not the law of God. Christian generosity happens when a heart is so overflowing with the grace of God that it cannot help but extend gracious acts to others. What Paul is about to do is explain what it looks like when hearts are drenched in the grace of God. Generosity is meant to be a story that points to the grace of God.

Generosity is meant to be sacrificial and not just out of surplus
2 Corinthians 9:2-3 - “for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means of their own accord” The Macedonia believers paint for us a beautiful picture of what generosity at its purest looks like. These hearts were so rooted in joy that they were not content to simply skim the surplus of their savings account to give to those in need. Rather, they gave so generously that it hurt them. I believe that God’s richest blessing may be in store when we are not content to simply give out of our surplus - but we give sacrificially. Again, this is not a command but an invitation. The wrong way to read this would be to point fingers at ourselves or others for not measuring up to these courageous believers. The right way would be to be in awe at that beautiful gospel picture our Macedonian brothers and sisters gave us and too long for what they had: a heart so rooted in the joy that comes from possessing Jesus that they were utterly detached from the slavery of possessing things.

Generosity is a privilege
Here’s the funny part about this story. These Macedonian believers did not pat themselves on the back or look around and consider themselves to have been the epitome of a sacrificial disciple. Rather, they (ironically) seem to think that they got the better end of the deal! Verse 4 says, “ begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.” My juvenile brain upon reading them constructs a picture of these believers jumping up and down with their hands clasped saying “please let us give, Paul, please!” While that may seem silly, I think in a way it gets at the heart of how much these believers desired to give. They thought of themselves as the ones who were being blessed because they were given the privilege of generosity. It’s almost as if they believed Jesus when he said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Generosity must be accompanied by consecration
2 Corinthians 11:5 - “and this not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.” What this verse is saying about these Christians is that the way that they gave monetarily was but a small part of the way they were giving their lives. Generosity is what naturally happens when lives are consecrated to Jesus as Lord and the good of His Body. Their abundant generosity was simply another offshoot of a life abandoned to Christ.

With these principles in mind may we strive together to be formed into people more overflowing with the generosity of God. Let us remember who we represent: the God who was extravagantly generous in pouring out the riches of heaven’s storehouse in the person of His dear son: all so that we could become rich in Him.