Generosity: Born Out of Gratitude

I have always believed that generosity is born out of gratitude. If we are genuinely grateful, we will be genuinely generous. But, the converse is also true. If we are not genuinely grateful, it will be difficult to be generous in regards to anything.

After a sermon on the ‘love of money’, a man came to me to say that he had tithed his entire life. He said it was easy when he started out making $20,000 a year. But now he said he just made too much money to tithe. This from a man whose salary was now north of $200,000. It is easy to see the absurdity of his claim, yet, to him, his logic made perfect sense.

It was the Apostle Paul who challenged the Christians at Corinth to give according to their means. He reminded them that the Macedonian churches, who were far poorer than the one at Corinth, had given “beyond their means” in what he called “a wealth of generosity”.

Of course, there is far more to the concept of generosity than simply giving to the church, as important as that is. Do we live with a generous spirit toward others? Do we extend grace gladly? Do we truly care for those who, in our prayers, are ‘less fortunate’? Again, I think it comes back to gratitude.

I have seen a little boy take the shoes off his feet in worship when the church was collecting clothing for poorer families. I have seen a wealthy man give millions in support of the mission and ministry of his church. I have seen a woman take a second job so she could support am important project at her church. I have seen men who anonymously bought new furniture for every family in the community who lost everything in a fire. I have seen a woman who gave a gift card for food to every street corner beggar she encountered.

The thing they all held in common? Gratitude. They were each possessed of a grateful heart, of a clear recognition that a gracious God had blessed them deeply. They were not all wealthy, but they were all grateful. They did not solve all the problems of the world or of their church or of their community, but they all did what they could-according to their means.

It is left to each of us to determine how generous we will be. It is left to each of us to calculate what it means to give “according to our means”. It is left to each of us to ask the question: “Just how grateful am I?”

The honest answer to that little question will determine just how generously we will live out our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

-Dr. Mike Queen