Generosity in all things

Learn to focus on giving generously and leave the rest to God.
 
Generosity is a willingness to give help or support, especially more than is usual or expected. Generosity as a virtue is not often preached or written about, let alone cultivated. Often, we think of money or material goods, but generosity includes our time and hospitality, giving credit and affirmation where due, our esteem and praise of others and much more. I’ve been in the homes of some of the wealthiest and also some of the poorest people. Interestingly, a wealthy person may give significantly, but a warmth—a connection—isn’t there as it usually is with the poor who want to sacrifice to bless others. 
 
When lining up a ship visit in Poland in 1990, Susan and I lived in a church classroom. An elderly, retired woman janitor would invite us every Sunday for lunch in her tiny flat where we always felt welcomed and esteemed. Her generosity was given without expectation of return.
 
I think also of a college friend who struggled financially. Whenever he borrowed my car, he would return it with more fuel and/or would wash it. He wanted to reciprocate my generosity with what he had, and I needed to allow him that grace. Generosity is meant to inspire others to do likewise.
 
We need to be sensitive to God’s promptings, rather than keeping score, such as “I have twice been generous to that person, and he has neither acknowledged me nor been generous to me or others in return.”
 
Increasing our generosity comes with discernment and responsibility. We do no one a service by creating dependency. That holds true for parents: we want to bless our children but not shield them from acting responsibly in the long-term. We bless them the most by cultivating a strong sense of purpose. If we’re not generous at home, it’s highly unlikely we will be elsewhere. We need to model generosity in every team and field, firstly, because it is the right thing to do and, secondly, because it speaks well of Jesus to the world around us. They may not agree with us on key points, but they will recognise a spirit of generosity. 


Do as I do

Transcending money, we can inspire others in generosity by exploring broader cooperation and championing other ministries. We can offer hospitality to other mission workers passing by. When a field holds training courses, people from churches and other missions are encouraged to participate. Our ships have often opened meeting space venues to local believers. Since OM’s founding over six decades ago, generosity has resulted among other things in the formation of more than a hundred other organisations by OM graduates. 
 
It has been said that, when God blesses you, He expects you to build a longer table, not a higher wall. Tables are for sharing as equals, but walls breed exclusivity and distrust. The clear teaching of Jesus (Matt. 6:1–4) is not to do good in order to gain status or righteousness but as an offering to God. We need to help each other so pride or reputation does not cause us to stumble. We need to be careful not to communicate that “We saw a need, and we met it, and isn’t that wonderful?”. We should tell our stories because they are God-stories—but we need to employ ego radar with each other nonetheless. 
 
Can generosity become a lifestyle? Of course it can. Every day, we can choose to perform acts of generosity for the above right reasons. “The one who seeks, finds” (Mt.7:8, NIV).