The Power of a Generous Spirit

‘Remember 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.’ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others’ (2 Corinthians 9: 6-8, NLT).

Generosity means being magnanimous, open minded, open handed and open hearted. Macedonia at the time Paul visited was a city that has been besieged by the Roman dictatorship. They have ravaged the city and at that time Macedonia could be seen as a poor city. However, when Paul came to Macedonia, rather than seeing a people who were mean, grumbling or murmuring, surprisingly, he saw a people with a generous spirit (2 Corinthians 9:11). Even though they were poor, they behaved in such a way that their poverty did not affect their personalities. Sometimes you meet an individual and your first impression of the person is that he has a generous spirit.

A generous spirit is not of this world. The people of this world are kind only to those who show them kindness. But God wants us to have a different spirit. He wants us to have a noble spirit. Lift yourself beyond the ordinary way of thinking and begin to think the way God thinks. In Matthew 5:44, Jesus said, “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Jesus is indirectly saying, ‘Don’t allow the evil in people to overcome the goodness in you. I am calling you out to a higher way of thinking. I want you to have a different spirit.’ Having a generous spirit is not only good but it is the only way to have a good and enjoyable life on this earth.

Those with a generous spirit are great givers. There are people who give out of convenience; there are those who give out of compulsion; there are many people who give because they want to be counted as having given. There are some who give because it is their commitment to give. But there are a few people who give without counting the cost. “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Another version says God loves a person who is glad to give. We should be cheerful givers. We make a living memory in the lives of people by what we give. Someone once wrote, If you ever give something to get something, you are not giving in the true sense of the word, you are only trading.’ One of the greatest Professors of medieval literatures, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Nothing is truly ours until we share it.”

You must learn to have a spirit of giving. Winston Churchill, a former British Prime Minister wrote, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.’’ Everyone can give. Everyone can have a heart of giving. Make a mark in the heart of people by your giving. That is the kind of spirit that Jesus want us to have.

God bless you.