If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:32-36
“Human flourishing consists in the restored relational capacity of a person to receive the generosity of God through the giving of others and to give to others through the generosity of God—precisely in that order. I think this may be the best way I can describe the essence of the Kingdom of Heaven. It is an extraordinary realm of extravagant generosity where we learn to receive in such a way that we are compelled to give. That’s the big problem with the kingdom of the world. It’s not about giving but getting. It’s not built on generosity but reciprocation—we give in order to get. It’s not about paying it forward, but paying it back. Until we are able to truly receive, we will never be able to truly give and we will build our lives on a transactional model of quid-pro-quo exchanges. (Hint – if you are the kind of person who expects a thank you note it’s a sign you may not be as much of a true giver as you think you are.)”
J.D. Walt in “Why Happiness Is The Truth” Seedbed Daily Text for 1 April 2016.
If we want to know God’s perspective on generosity, we must listened to Jesus. He spells out generosity according to the Kingdom of Heaven, and J.D. echoes it in modern language with a helpful hint. Generosity in the kingdom is linked to expecting nothing in return to ensure that all glory goes to the Giver.
Know anyone who stopped giving somewhere because they weren’t thanked or exalted to a level that met their expectations? They did not get the return they wanted. Know any ministries that extend so much praise to you as a giver that it makes you feel uncomfortable? These are warning signs for worldly giving paradigms.
Let’s celebrate that God is gracious and merciful to the ungrateful and wicked! Think about it. The mercy part means we don’t get the punishment we deserve for our sins, and the grace part pours blessings on us that we don’t deserve either. So God’s generosity is merciful and gracious.
So what’s today’s lesson in short? If we want to exhibit Christian generosity, thankfully receive God’s spiritual blessings (grace and mercy) and material gifts (money and possessions) and share all of it freely, expecting nothing in return, but rather celebrating that we get to be joyful distributors whose generosity directs all glory the Giver.