Generosity
As I sit here at my desk thinking about the Christmas season, one of the big battles, in my opinion, for every believer is to focus our attention on the true meaning of Christmas. While we know that Christmas is about the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, it doesn’t take long for our attention to become consumed by thousands of other things. There are almost countless school events, work parties, and family functions that consume our time and attention, and before we know it, we’ve made it to the new year and didn’t spend much time thinking about Jesus all that much. We’ve attended the functions and had fun with family and friends, but we didn’t necessarily worship in a way that gives the proper reverence and honor to God for sending Jesus to be our redeemer.
One way we have endeavored to push back on the attention grab of all of these other activities is to build Advent activities into the life of our church as well as provide many resources for our families to spend time during the Christmas season focusing on Jesus. Hopefully you have found a resource you like and are setting aside time daily, or even weekly, to center your attention on the birth of our savior.
Another way that I think can help us make the most of this season and give appropriate honor and glory to Jesus for coming on our behalf is to be generous. I know as a child, Christmas became about the gifts I would get from under the tree. The weeks, and even months, leading up to Christmas was all about scouring the catalogues looking for all the stuff that I thought I needed. And to be honest, I catch myself still hoping that Annie caught the hint I dropped about the latest gadget that I want. I can see that my heart hasn’t changed as much as I wished it had over the years. But one thing that has helped me learn to focus away from my greediness and towards Jesus is learning to spend the Christmas season being generous. The bible tells us that it is more blessed to give than to receive, and when I do the difficult work of thinking less of myself and more of others, I am still surprised at how much more I enjoy the season and how much more I think about Jesus.
The apostle Paul gives a great reminder to the Corinthian church about the blessings of being generous. In 2 Corinthians chapter 9, we read: The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
Here are three things we can learn from this passage. One, we cannot outgive God. Paul uses an agricultural illustration about reaping and sowing to teach that God if faithful to those who give generously (verses 6-9). Two, the very blessings God gives to us are meant to be channeled to those who need help. God takes care of his children through the generosity of the faithful (verse 11). Three, being generous is way to give glory and thanks to God for all the blessings we have, especially the blessing of his Son, Jesus Christ. Our generosity produces thanksgiving from both the giver and the receiver (verse 12-13).
So, this Christmas season, let’s all endeavor to push back on the busyness and the greediness that can creep into our hearts by being generous. There are many charities and avenues that can use help during this time of year, and every gift we give glorifies Jesus. And we always need to remember that we are generous to others because God has been so generous to us in giving us Jesus as our Savior. “I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:8-9).