SCARED TO BE GENEROUS: “I would be more generous, but I’m barely making it now.”
- We all know that generosity is admirable. We know that it’s embarrassing to be identified as being stingy.
- But we struggle to be generous. One of the reasons that we don’t end up being as generous as we would like to be is that often we’re barely making it right now. We’ve got bills to pay and it’s tough to make ends meet most months.
- Now, it would certainly be worth our time to stop at this point and ponder whether we actually need everything we’re buying. It would be worthwhile to discuss how much of the tightness in our budgets comes from living above our means. But we’re not going to do that today. Let’s just accept the statement as a given – I’m barely making it but I would like to be more generous. “I’m scared to do that, though,” we think. This passage has some helpful truths for us.
TWO GENEROSITY EQUATIONS:
- Let’s start with some math. The first equation shows the way we usually think and the second the way that this passage encourages us to think.
1. Generosity + real-life needs = struggle.
- This is a good summary of the way that many of us feel about being generous.
- Yes, being generous would be a good thing, but I’ve got all these bills.
- So if I was generous and added that to my real-life needs, the end result would be struggle. Would I be able to pay the bills? Would I be able to make ends meet?
- And so, when we think like this, we know that we can’t be generous.
2. Generosity + real-life needs + God = enough.
- Fortunately, for those of you here this morning who are Christians, there is another piece to the equation. That piece is God and that changes the math.
- We still have real-life needs. There are groceries to buy and lights to keep burning. Unless we are going to move to a cardboard box, we are going to have bills.
- Now let’s say that as a Christian I feel the call of God to be generous with my money. How can I do that without automatically ending up with the struggle that the other equation had?
- It’s because we’ve introduce something else to the equation. Actually, not something, but Someone. We’ve got to include the God factor in the equation.
- As Christians we believe that God is active in the world, moving and working. And that’s especially true in the lives of Christians as we seek to obey Him. There are multiple promises Jesus made about the eagerness of the Father to answer prayer on behalf of His children.
- When we add God into the equation, we get the sum of “enough.” We end up in a place where God is meeting our needs.
- The sad reality is that many Christians don’t invite God into their financial ways. That’s true on both sides of their finances.
- When it comes to the income side, they presume that they’re on their own. They are responsible for making sure they have enough income. They put no thought into asking God for help with that provision.
- When it comes to the expenses side, they give almost nothing to God’s work. They might drop a single bill in the offering plate to keep from looking bad, but there is no plan to give sacrificially. There is no thought of tithing.
- God wants invited into every part of our lives. Indeed, God expects that the Christian will give Him Lordship over every part of their lives. Including money.
SHOW YOUR MATH:
- Now, let’s acknowledge that many of you think my math is wrong. You’re thinking, “That sounds pretty, but that’s not the way that real life works.”
- Let’s look now at our passage for this morning and see if we can find truths that help us to understand why the math works.
- Now, it’s important to note that the passage as a whole is about abundant generosity. Verses 6-7 speak of sowing and reaping generously as well as being a cheerful giver.
1. “Enough” is true because the generous Christian’s goal is Kingdom expansion.
- 2 Corinthians 9:8c – “you will abound in every good work.”
- Let’s start with a phrase that directly speaks to the point why the above equation is true.
- At the end of verse 8 Paul writes that “you will abound in every good work.” What does he mean by “every good work.” To put it simply, he means Kingdom work.
- As we grow in our walk with Christ, one of the things that changes is that we shift from wanting to spend our money on shallow worldly purchases and start having a heart and passion for putting our money where it will point people to Christ.
- You see, our love for Christ will impact where we put our money. If we deeply believe that knowing Jesus is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to us, we’ll want others to know Him too. And we won’t just say that we want that, but rather we’ll put our money where our heart is.
- Now, if you’re not the least bit interested in anyone coming to know Jesus, then this point isn’t going to be much help to you. But if you either have this or at least want this, then this becomes an incredibly encouraging verse.
- Notice that Paul doesn’t just say that God will meet our minimum requirements, but that we will “abound.” I think we can all agree that’s a generous word.
- So what’s he mean? I believe he’s saying that as we prioritize Kingdom goals God is going to be eager to generously meet our needs.
- Let me give an example.
- The Blanket Question.
- Imagine this scenario. You give your child her allowance. She is moved by a testimony at church and gives all of it to help buy blankets for the homeless. How would you respond as a parent? Would you be disgusted (“Now you have no money!”)? Or would you be proud (“I love her generous heart!”)? Would her action make you more or less likely to be generous with them in the future?
- Knowing how God responds to generosity spurs confidence.
- How we act can cause Him to “abound” toward us.
2. “Enough” is true because the generous Christian has a broad promise to have her needs met.
- 2 Corinthians 9:8b (“in all things at all times, having all that you need”), 9.
- How confident can we be that God will come through for us?
- Think for a moment about the “terms and conditions” that we have to agree to when we update our smartphones or sign an insurance policy. Of course, we never read these – we just sign. But we kind of presume that there’s probably some stuff in there that the company’s lawyers have come up with that provides them with an out when it comes to being majorly liable. “Yes, Mr. Jones, it is true that your phone spontaneously caught fire, but you didn’t install the latest software update within the required 48 hours so we have no liability.”
- Compare that picky technicality to the broad promise that God gives us here.
- “In all things.”
- “At all times.”
- “Having all that you need.”
- That’s quite a promise.
- It is important to note that the promise is for our needs. This is not a ridiculous prosperity gospel proof text, but instead a solid promise for God to care for the needs of His obedient child. He is caring for our needs, not our ridiculous wants.
- Just focus on v. 8b. Let v. 9 go.
3. “Enough” is true because this isn’t about what you deserve.
- 2 Corinthians 9:8a – “And God is able to make all grace abound to you”
- At this point, as we take in the astounding breadth and generosity of this promise from God, we might be tempted to ask, “What did I do to deserve God treating me like this?” And the answer is, “You don’t deserve for God to treat you like this.”
- The beginning of v. 8 that when God does this He is making His grace abound to you. Grace is when we get something we don’t deserve. The biggest example of that is salvation. We know that we are saved by grace through faith. It’s God’s grace that enables us to be saved. God gives us what we don’t deserve through Christ’s death and resurrection.
- On a smaller issue, but still one that’s important to our lives, grace is also shown to us by God here when it comes to our generosity and our finances.
- This is a wonderful thing when you take it in. God’s not doing this because of a closely-worded contract where I’m in danger at any moment of accidentally violating some technicality that renders Him no longer liable to help me. No, this is coming through grace. Our desire to please Him, imperfect though we are in that, pleases Him.
- It is also worth noting the other side of that coin. Specifically, the backslidden believer who is making no attempt to obey God.
- The wording of the verse tells us that “God is able to make” these things happen. It’s not automatic. It’s not something that God does for everyone. But He is able to make it happen for those willing to trust Him and step out in belief.
A FIRST STEP: When you’re thinking about being generous, pray “Father, would this please You?” and then rest in His joy.
- So let’s bring all this together. It’s easy for us to fail to be generous because we don’t include God in our financial math. But God is making some convincing arguments here.
- One good way to think about all this is to consider what you’re thinking about and ask whether this would please God. Now, this question cuts both ways. On the one hand, we know God is looking for a generous heart. On the other hand, we know God doesn’t want us to act stupidly. So I’m not suggesting that we go give our house away just to see what would happen. But we ask God if this generosity would please Him.
- If it would, then we can give confidently and then rest in the joy He feels that His child has that kind of a heart. We can go back to the above promises and rest in them. God feels joy at our generous heart and will keep His promises to care for our needs.
