A personal note:
I ask your prayers this week for our family. My father, a pastor and minister for more than 70 years, completed his journey of 94 years last Friday morning and is now in the presence of the One He loved and served. As a friend of mine encouraged me Friday morning, “We grieve but not without hope.” Our hearts are heavy; God’s grace and comfort are sufficient. Blessings, Allen and Gayle Randolph
“God will produce a great harvest of generosity in you.” 2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT.
Generosity flows from a wealth of gratitude rather than your abundance.
My thoughts and comments today are about “a harvest of generosity.”
Generosity is an admirable trait in any individual. As you are made in the image and likeness of God, you have a benevolent potential within you. Generosity should be natural but its genuine expression does not naturally occur. Realizing and releasing that latent benevolence is the challenge. See Psalms 112:5-9 NKJV. Authentic, selfless generosity requires a work of grace and impartation of God’s Spirit. “God will give you many opportunities to do good, and God will produce a great harvest of generosity in you.” 2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT. Of that which you sow, God provides a generous harvest.
Liberality is the honest recognition and appreciation for God’s and others’ benevolence to you. Generosity flows from a wealth of gratitude rather than your abundance. Whether you realize it or not, you have received immeasurable munificence from many others such as parents, neighbors, friends, teachers, employers, or even the kindness of strangers. And out of His amazing and abundant grace shown you in salvation, God has been extravagant in His mercy and love toward you and me. Read Ephesians 2:4-9 NIV.
Generosity is expressed in your choice to give rather than ability to give. See Mark 12:41-44 NIV. In my lifetime, I have found that people with much less wealth and possessions can sometimes be proportionately more generous than those having a greater ability to give. Solomon accurately observed, “The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” Read Proverbs 11:24-25 NLT.
Generosity extends beyond mere finances, being also expressed in the kindness of your words to and about others, the joyful helpfulness of doing what you can when you can, or even the esteem in which you hold others. But generosity ultimately touches your possessions and finances. “Good people will be generous to others and will be blessed for all they do.” Isaiah 32:8 NLT. Generous people are happier, friendlier, more satisfied, and more well-liked than people who are restrained.
“The one who plants generously will get a generous crop . . For God loves the 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. For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will give you many opportunities to do good, and God will produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously.” Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 NLT. Generosity produces a spiritual harvest in the lives of others, as well as your own.
Today, I pray for you to allow the Holy Spirit to perfect generosity as a character trait.
Allen Randolph, Christian Communications