Make Generosity Part of Your Plans

Earn, invest, and spend! Giving and being generous were not part of the conversation. A culture of consumption led me down a self absorbed road for a long time. Even though there’s been a shift towards generosity and giving in our culture, it’s a small step towards a great goal. Truth is most people don’t know how to give. That was me – 35 years old and self serving. Self examination doesn’t show us how greedy we are…..you can’t see it in the mirror.

Has anyone taught you how to be rich by giving? Society, culture, TV, advertising taught our parents to want it all and to overspend to get it. This left them with little to be generous with. Few schools teach how to give. Then fear of the future robs us of our desire to give and be generous. Often we don’t give as we value security, not only materialism, hoarding our possessions. There is often competition for Lordship in our lives between God and money.

How can you change? What’s the process?

Start with the foundation…..

Jesus himself reminds us, “…you cannot serve both God and money”.

Mathew 6:21

Then consider the real security in life…..

“Therefore, do not worry about your life”

Matthew 6:21

Jesus assures us we don’t have to worry about our life because God’s promised to take care of us.
……further Jesus teaches in verse 33,

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Then start praying…..

God what do you want me to do with all you’ve entrusted to me?

Everyone can learn to be more generous by understanding the fours stages of The Giving Journey.

You can download a free copy of this 16 page booklet at the bottom of the Canadian National Christian Foundation website.

There are principles and a pattern to generosity.

1. Emerging Giver – Giving out of duty, obligation or guilt.

2. Maturing Giver – Understanding we’re stewards not owners.

3. Generous Giver – Growing desire to give as we understand Gods plan.

4. Giving Champion – Willingness to spread the good news of generosity.

I’d been completely unaware this had been my own evolution! I started giving out of duty when I started giving with World Vision to sponsor children overseas, to tithing, slowly growing and giving out of gratitude, obedience and promptings, to becoming a Giving Champion. Not because I give a lot but because I see how generous giving has grown my trust and relationship with God.

Now you know about this evolution in generosity, where are you on The Giving Journey? We all have to start somewhere. You Be The Hero of this story. Grow and change and become the kind of person you know you were meant to be. You can start using The Treasure Principle and begin storing up treasure in Heaven. Your generosity can influence many peoples’ eternity.

What about our time, our talents, not just our treasure? What if every man, woman, student, employee, employer, single person, and couple would start asking