The Paradox of Generosity

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

There is a paradox to generosity. Jesus puts it this way: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). “Blessedness” doesn’t come from getting but from giving. The more you give, the more you will find. We gain by losing.

This is very counterintuitive to the native posture of our sinful hearts. We tend to believe the more we hoard the happier we will be. But this is not the way God made the world…or us.

Neither God nor the world He made operates on such a “scarcity mindset”. A farmer gets more grain by “giving up” the grain he has, sowing it in the soil in hopes of a bigger harvest. The businessman gets more money, by “giving it away”, investing in his business and in the market, looking for a greater return.

The same is true with our stewardship in the kingdom of God. If we operate with a hoarding scarcity mindset, we will never have enough. However, if we operate with a generosity abundance mindset, God will make sure “we have all sufficiency in all things at all times, so that we may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

The book of Proverbs puts it this way:

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;

another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

and one who waters will himself be watered.

~Provers 11:24-25 (ESV)

As John Bunyan so eloquently put it: “There was a man, the world did think him mad, the more he gave away, the more he had.”

Bottom line: you cannot outgive God!

Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“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. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”

~2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (ESV)