What does the Bible say about generosity?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Generosity is a way of living. We often speak of it regarding financial giving, but generosity is not merely or even primarily about money; it is a heart attitude of having a noble or kindly spirit. Generosity is not solely about large quantities, but rather, it speaks to one's attitude and actions toward others. We are called to willing and cheerfully give to others, whether it is relationship, time, resources, money, or something else. Because God is generous and because everything belongs to Him, we can also be generous, trusting that He will provide our needs and knowing that being generous is loving and pleases God. When we are stingy and do what is best for ourselves, we misappropriate where our strength, wisdom, time, and resources come from. But when we recognize that God is in control, and He has lavished His love on us, we can also do what is best for someone else and live generously. As we receive God’s love, we can generously share it with others in tangible ways.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• God is generous. In relation to God, the word chanan is often translated in English Bible as "gracious" or "merciful." For example, in Genesis 33:11, Jacob tells Esau that "God has dealt graciously" with him.
• In Exodus 33:19 God tells Moses, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name 'The LORD.' And I will be gracious [chanan] to whom I will be gracious [chanan], and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."
• The Psalms include pleas for God to be gracious (For example, Psalm 6:2; 9:13; 25:16; 26:11; 51:1; 57:1; 86:3).
• Psalm 102:12–13 says, "But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever; you are remembered throughout all generations. You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor [chanan] her; the appointed time has come." God is generous toward humanity. The psalmists ask for God to be gracious or merciful because apart from God they are helpless against their enemies or left in the destitution of sin. But because of God's generosity, they can receive His help.
• Psalm 119:57–58 says, "The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise." Generosity or being gracious and merciful is part of God's character.
• Psalm 119:132 says, "Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name." God is gracious to those who love Him.
• In response to God's generosity toward us, we are called to be generous toward Him. When the Israelites built the tabernacle in the desert, they were told: "This is the thing that the LORD has commanded. Take from among you a contribution to the LORD. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the LORD's contribution … Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded" (Exodus 35:4–5, 10). And the people did just that. They brought and served not out of obligation but as a freewill offering to the Lord in response to the goodness He showed them.
• The God we live for owns "the cattle on a thousand hills" (Psalm 50:10). His resources are unlimited so we need not fear that we will be left lacking when we are generous.
• Often our generosity toward God is expressed in the way we treat others. For example, Proverbs 14:31 says, "Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him." How we treat others is indicative of what we believe about God.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Ephesians 1:3–14 declares God’s generosity in sending Jesus according to the riches of His grace, which He lavishes on those who trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins. In Him we have the forgiveness of sins, hope, the gospel of salvation, the word of truth, the sealing of the promised Holy Spirit, and a generous inheritance. We serve a generous God!
• Out of response to God’s generosity, we are called to live generously as well. Second Corinthians 9:7–8 says, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." Our generosity with finances, time, and talent toward the work of the kingdom of God is based on God's generosity toward us. We understand we are stewards of His good gifts and so we freely give them back to Him.
• Second Corinthians 9:10–11 calls us to be generous because He supplies what we need. This does not teach a “name it and claim it” theology, but it reminds us that all we have is from God, and that He is sovereign over all. Because of this, we don’t have to be stingy with our time, resources, and finances. Instead, we can cultivate an attitude of trust in Him, which translates into being generous with others.
• When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples in Matthew 10 He told them "You received without paying; give without pay" (Matthew 10:8). Part of being generous toward God is sharing what He has given us with others. First John 4:19 says, "We love because he first loved us."

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

From the beginning of creation God has been generous toward humans. He created humanity in His image and invited us into relationship with Him. Our sin separated us from God, but He generously provided a means of redemption through Jesus Christ. Even beyond that, God blesses His children abundantly. His generosity towards us calls us to be generous toward others, whether that is with our emotional capacity, relational connectedness, time, resources, finances, or more. Generosity is expressed through having an open heart and an eagerness to help meet the needs of others. It is also expressed in sincerity of heart. We don’t give to receive something in return or to pride ourselves. We do so out of “sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord” (Colossians 3:22–23). The word translated "sincerity" here is the same word translated as "generosity" in 2 Corinthians 9:11. Again, generosity is not solely about abundance in giving, but about having a sincere heart.

UNDERSTAND

• God is generous and loves us generously.
• God calls us to live generously.
• Generosity can come in the form of relational openness, time, resources, money, or other ways.

REFLECT

• How can you cultivate a generous heart, one that is open to giving not only financially but also in terms of your time and energy for others?
• When have you experienced God’s generosity in your life? How do your experience with and understanding of God’s generosity shape your generosity?
• Where in your life do you struggle to be generous, and what steps can you take to grow in generosity in those areas?

ENGAGE

• How do we reconcile the call for generosity with the reality of limited resources? What does it mean to trust in God’s provision as we give?
• How does generosity reflect God’s character to the world? Why is it important for Christians to model this aspect of God’s nature?
• How can we support each other in cultivating a culture of generosity?