Why Should You Be Generous?
By Rick Warren
“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.” 2 Corinthians 9:13 (NLT)
As a follower of Christ, why is it so important to be generous? Here are three ways it can make an impact on your life:
It makes you happy. Acts 20:35 says, “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (NLT). The world will tell you that you will be happiest when you receive. But Jesus turned that idea around and said that you will be happier when you give than when you receive.
It just makes sense. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:6, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (NIV). You want other people to be generous with you. But do you think that by sowing selfishness, you can reap generosity from God and others? God says that’s not the way life works. There is a law of sowing and reaping. If you want to reap generosity, you have to sow generosity.
It shows the world what God is like. The Bible says, “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” (2 Corinthians 9:13 NLT).
I’ve found that the best way to learn to be more generous is to remember the incredible generosity of God. Even when life is difficult, you can always find God’s gifts when you look for them. Look at the world you get to live in. Look at the life he gave you. Look at the way he meets your needs.
God is the perfect model of generosity. And when you are generous with others because of God’s generosity toward you, it points others to God.
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