Generosity

You can download the audio files from Liberty’s Associate Professor, Sundi Donovan, and Associate Dean, Dr. Gabriel Etzel, on this season of giving to share with your listeners.

Generosity is a virtue often overlooked in today’s fast-paced culture, and when it is considered, generosity tends to be associated with financial giving. This view limits the true scope of all that generosity encompasses. Is it not equally important to be generous with our time, service, and kindness?

Jesus Christ set the ultimate example for us. He was not a wealthy man. In fact, He was a carpenter, like his earthly father before Him. And still, he showed his generous spirit through His interactions with those around Him, such as extending kindness to Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-7), and pausing to sit with children when others tried to shoo them away (Mark 10: 13-16) — just to give a few examples.

In Psalm 37, King David speaks about the righteous — those who believe in God and follow Him — saying, “They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing” (verse 26). If we are to be Christ followers, then we are to reflect Him in all things.

Giving Your Time

In our busy lives, we can easily overlook the needs of others and prioritize our own interests. It takes a conscious effort to pause and allow Christ to show us where to best spend our time. This could be staying home with your children instead of fitting in a few extra hours at the office, having lunch with a family member you haven’t seen in a while, or calling a friend you know is going through a hard time. Taking the time to be with someone and invest in their life is one of the greatest ways to show how much you care.

Serving Others

Service can take many forms, but the intent is the same: to show love through action. In 1 John 3:18, it says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” Serving others can look like volunteering at a soup kitchen, helping out on your church’s hospitality team, or even smaller acts of kindness like taking out the trash for your spouse or holding the door for a stranger. You never know how your small act of service could positively impact another.

Showing Kindness

 Of all the ways to be generous, extending kindness is one of the simplest forms. It doesn’t take much to be kind, and it can be as easy as giving a smile or saying “thank you.” Proverbs 19:17 tells us, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.” Kindness can be sending an encouraging text message or responding to anger with patience; the options are limitless.

No matter how we choose to show generosity, the act of blessing others — in ways big or small — will make a lasting difference. As we enter the holiday season and spend time with our family and friends, ask the Lord to help you spot opportunities to show generosity to another person through time, service, or kindness.