What Is Generosity?

Generous Hearts in God's Story

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Generosity means having an open hand and a big heart. A generous person shares freely and gladly. The Bible is full of people like that.

Willing hearts. When God's people built the Tabernacle, Moses said, “Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the Lord” (Exodus 35:5).

They came. “Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing” (Exodus 35:21). Men and women brought gold, cloth and wood.

Too much! The workers told Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the Lord commanded us to do” (Exodus 36:5). Moses had to ask them to stop!

A king's gift. David would not give God something cheap. He said, “nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24).

A kind farmer. Boaz told his workers to leave extra grain for Ruth, a poor widow. He said, “Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her” (Ruth 2:16). He was generous in a quiet, kind way.

A poor widow. Jesus watched a poor widow put two tiny coins into the Temple offering box. He said she gave more than all the rich people, because she gave everything she had (Mark 12:41-44).

A changed tax collector. After Jesus came to his house, Zacchaeus said, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor” (Luke 19:8). Jesus changed his heart first.

The first church. “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need” (Acts 2:44-45).

Barnabas. A man named Barnabas owned land. He “sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:37). His name means Son of Encouragement.

The Macedonians. Poor believers in Greece gave “beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:3) and begged to share in helping others.

The greatest example. Jesus was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor (2 Corinthians 8:9). Every generous person in the Bible points to Him.

What we learn. Generous people are not always rich. They are people whose hearts God has touched. Generosity starts when God changes the heart.

What to do. Pick one of these Bible givers. Read their story with your family, and talk about what made them generous.

Generosity is not a personality type. In Scripture it is the fruit of hearts that God has stirred. The same pattern shows up from the Tabernacle to the early church.

Exodus 35:5, 21. The Tabernacle offering was freewill. Moses invited “whoever is of a willing heart,” and those whose hearts were stirred came. God built His dwelling place from gifts no one was forced to give.

Exodus 36:5-7. The craftsmen reported “much more than enough,” and Moses had to restrain the people. Generosity overflowed from hearts God had stirred (35:21).

2 Samuel 24:24. David insisted on paying Araunah for the threshing floor. A gift that costs nothing honors God very little. Real giving involves real sacrifice.

Ruth 2:15-16. Boaz told his young men to let grain fall on purpose for Ruth and not to shame her. Generosity can be thoughtful and quiet, guarding the dignity of the person who receives it. Jesus was born from Boaz's family line (Matthew 1:5), and many Christians see Boaz as a picture of Jesus, our greater Redeemer.

Mark 12:41-44. Jesus measured the widow's two small coins against what she had left: nothing. God counts the cost to the giver, not the size of the coin.

Luke 19:8. Zacchaeus's generosity came after grace, not before it. Jesus said, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). His giving was the evidence of a changed heart, not the cause of it.

All things in common. In Acts 2:44 and 4:32 the believers had all things “in common.” The Greek word is koinos (say: koy-NOSS), shared. It comes from the same root as the word for fellowship. This sharing was voluntary, not forced by any law (Acts 5:4).

Acts 4:34. “Nor was there anyone among them who lacked.” Generosity made the church a picture of God's care.

Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37). The Son of Encouragement gave land. Later he encouraged Paul and traveled with him to share the gospel. Generous hands and an encouraging heart went together.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5. The Macedonians continued the pattern, giving out of deep poverty because they had first given themselves to the Lord.

2 Corinthians 8:13-15. Paul quotes the manna story: “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” In the desert God made sure everyone had enough. Through generosity He does the same in His church.

Why it matters. Every one of these givers responded to what God had already done. Generosity is never the way into God's family; it is how God's family lives.

Application. Read Exodus 35:20-29 or Acts 4:32-37. Write down what stirred those people to give, and ask God to stir your heart the same way.

Open Hands Every Day

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Generosity is not only about money. God gives every one of us something to share, including time, help, kindness and the good news about Jesus.

What you have. Peter had no money, but he said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you” (Acts 3:6). Then he healed a lame man in Jesus' name.

Your gifts. “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Manifold means many kinds.

Do good. “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

In deed. “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Love does something.

Done to Jesus. Jesus said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40). Helping others is serving Jesus.

Others first. “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

Bear burdens. “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Helping carry someone's trouble is generous too.

Let your light shine. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Welcome others. Paul wrote, “distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality” (Romans 12:13). Hospitality means welcoming people into your home.

Give freely. When Paul listed God's gifts, he wrote, “he who gives, with liberality” (Romans 12:8). Liberality means giving with an open hand.

Enough for everyone. Paul hoped that when one church had plenty, it could help another church in need, and later the other way around (2 Corinthians 8:14). God's family shares.

Do not give up. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).

Your family. Ask your parents how your family shares. You might help make a meal for a neighbor or pray for someone in need together.

What we learn. Every child can be generous. You can share your time, your toys, your help and your smile.

What to do. This week, do one kind thing for someone without being asked. Do it for Jesus.

Generosity in the New Testament reaches far beyond money. God has given every believer gifts, and generosity means putting them to work for others.

Acts 3:6. Peter and John had no money to give the lame man, but they had the name of Jesus. Generosity starts with what God has put in your hands.

1 Peter 4:10. A steward manages someone else's property. Our abilities, time and opportunities belong to God. “The manifold grace of God” means grace that comes in many colors and forms.

Galatians 6:10. “As we have opportunity” means generosity watches for chances to help. It begins in the church family but reaches out to everyone.

1 John 3:16-18. John grounds generosity in the cross: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.” A closed heart toward a brother in need contradicts the love of God.

Matthew 25:40. Jesus identifies Himself with the needy. Kindness to the least of His brethren is kindness to the King Himself.

A blessing. In 2 Corinthians 9:5 Paul calls the offering a eulogia (say: yoo-loh-GEE-ah), a blessing. A generous gift blesses the one who receives it, and it is also a blessing to give.

Romans 12:8, 13. Paul lists giving among the gifts God gives His church: “he who gives, with liberality.” It is the same word used of the Macedonians in 8:2. He adds “given to hospitality,” opening our homes as well as our hands.

Philippians 2:3-4. Generosity is humility in action. It looks at the interests of others, not only at our own.

Galatians 6:2. Carrying another person's burden fulfills “the law of Christ,” which is the law of love. Time and attention can be as costly as money.

2 Corinthians 8:13-14. Paul was not trying to make the givers poor. He wanted equality: those with plenty supplying those in need, so that later the help could flow back the other way.

Matthew 5:16. Generous good works point people to the Father. The goal is His glory, not our reputation.

Galatians 6:9. Generosity can be tiring. Paul promises a harvest in God's time for those who keep doing good.

Application. Make a list of what God has put in your hands: time, skills, things and words. Choose one this week and use it to bless someone quietly.

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