Question 1

What is generosity?

Accepted Answer

Deuteronomy 15:7-11“If there are any poor Israelites in your towns when you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tightfisted toward them. Instead, be generous and lend them whatever they need.”Hebrews 13:16Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.Generosity is sharing with someone in need, often someone who isn’t in the position to return any favors.Deuteronomy 16:17“All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.”Generosity involves sharing the blessings we have received from God.2 Corinthians 8:3I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.2 Corinthians 9:7You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”Generosity involves not only what we give but the attitude with which we give it.

Question 2

In what ways has God shown generosity toward me?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 1:26Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like ourselves. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”God gave us life itself. He made us in his image and gave us this beautiful earth to live in and care for. Even after sin brought pain, death, and brokenness into our world, we can still enjoy and benefit from God’s generous gift of creation.Romans 5:15There is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.Romans 10:12They [all believers] have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.God has generously offered us the gift of living forever in a perfect world. We do not deserve this gift and could never earn it—something far beyond our means—yet he bought it for us at great personal sacrifice. If God were not so generous, he might only offer this gift to a privileged few or require us to accomplish a certain amount of good works before receiving it. But God offers this same gift to all who believe, and all he asks for in return is our love. How could such a generous God not deserve our wholehearted devotion?Titus 3:6He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.God has also generously given the Holy Spirit to all who believe in him. God doesn’t provide his presence just to the ultra-righteous or giants of faith. He provides his presence to everyone who has trusted him alone for salvation.1 Corinthians 12:1, 4, 6-7, 11, 18, 22, 27Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. . . . There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. . . . God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. . . . It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. . . . But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. . . . In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. . . . All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.God gives every person special abilities to be used to serve him and others.2 Corinthians 9:8God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.God cares for us and equips us with all we need to live a life that imitates him.

Question 3

What are the benefits of generosity?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 9:11-14Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.Generosity glorifies God and enriches our lives and relationships. Others will thank God and honor him as their needs are met, and many will pray for us.1 Chronicles 29:13-14“O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!”Generosity reminds us that the things we have are gifts from God to be shared with others.1 Peter 4:10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.The more generous we are with others the more God’s generosity flows through us.Acts 20:35“I [Paul] have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”Keeping something may please us, but giving provides us the joy of pleasing God and the satisfaction of helping others.Psalm 112:5-6Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered.God blesses those who are generous with things that money can never buy.

Question 4

How will I know when I’m giving enough to my church?

Accepted Answer

Luke 21:1-4While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”Observing people at the Temple treasury, Jesus described God’s standard for generosity: The degree of a person’s sacrifice matters more than the amount of the donation. Millionaire philanthropists whose high-dollar gifts never alter their lifestyles, can be less generous in God’s eyes than the struggling single parent who foregoes a needed pair of shoes in order to give. God looks for the willing heart, not the extravagant amount. God sees how our giving affects our lives, not just what it will accomplish for his Kingdom. Does our giving cause us to do without something significant? Can we honestly say that we give sacrificially? That’s the kind of giving that expresses true generosity.Matthew 6:2-4“When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”2 Corinthians 9:6–7Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”If we give because of social pressures or out of a desire to impress people, then we give for the wrong reasons. Love should always be the motivator for generosity. When we give to love God and others, we will receive great satisfaction and eternal rewards.