Practicing Generosity Part 2: Giving
Giving is often seen as something a person does because he or she is a "good person,” or, we may see giving as a natural response to all that God has given us. Yet, as we examine the gospels, we see Jesus saying two seemingly contradictory statements on giving: to the rich ruler he says, “sell as you have and follow me,” (Mark 10:17-22), and in response to the outcry of resources used lavishly instead of giving to the poor Jesus says, “the poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want." (Mark 14:3-7). In a Christian context then, what are we to make of giving?
The central conversation in Jesus’ sermon on the mount, or maybe better put, “lessons on discipleship,” is on acts of righteousness and how to practice them. The first act of righteousness that Jesus addresses is giving; prayer and fasting are the other two. In other words, the central message of Jesus' lessons on discipleship is righteous acts, and first righteous act he speaks about is giving…in secret.
I look forward to gathering together with you this Sunday to worship our Lord and Saviour who, "being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8)
