Be generous with God

“Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid.’” 1 Kings 17:13 NIV

Picture a mother and her child in a severe famine, with just enough food for one last meal. Now picture Elijah saying, “Share with me what you’ve got. Don’t be afraid; God will make sure you’ve more than enough to see you through.” What would you have done? This woman chose to obey God. As a result, she survived her famine and outlived her pallbearers, and Jesus eulogized her in one of His sermons. Basically there are two kinds of givers: those who give God their “leftovers” and those who give Him their “firstfruits” (see Proverbs 3:9). The first givers see themselves as responsible for meeting their own needs, so the leftovers go to God’s work. But the problem with giving leftovers is that your generosity is tied to your self-sufficiency. And the moment you face financial uncertainty, generosity takes a back seat. On the other hand, those who give God their firstfruits understand that He’s the source of everything they have. They are motivated to invest in His interests first and their own interests second. They believe in the scriptural principle that what you reap is always greater than what you sow (see 2 Corinthians 9:6-11). Fear will cause you to become irrational and act contrary to what you believe in your heart. Doesn’t it make sense to trust God with your finances, since it all belongs to Him? And to trust Him with something that’s beyond your control anyway? Think about it: you say you trust God with your eternal destiny, yet you reject His invitation to be your financial partner. Does that make sense? The truth is, you can never outgive God, so be generous!

Bible in a year: Exodus 1-3 and Matthew 14:1-21