Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4
“We, too, can “show contempt” for God’s kindness toward us by using it as an “open sesame” for sin. “God will forgive, that’s His business,” the French skeptic Voltaire once said, and too many believers adopt just this attitude. We grow cavalier toward our sin because we think God will simply overlook it out of His love for us in Christ.
But sin is a serious matter whether we are in Christ or not. To be sure, I think Scripture teaches that the believer is eternally secure in Christ, and this security puts the Christian in a different position than the Jew under the old covenant. But the Scripture also teaches that a lack of concern about sin is incompatible with true faith.”
Douglas J. Moo in Romans: The NIV Application Commentary: From Biblical Text to Contemporary Life (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000) 80. I am turning my attention to Bible verses linked to kindness, my word for 2019.
Growing in generosity can be likened to growing in any other area of life. But, growth requires a foundation. God’s kindness and patience serves as the bedrock, the foundation, for our growth.
Related to money, He has set forth a design for us. It’s about as different from the world as anyone could imagine. He became flesh and dwelt among us and shared it using pointed teachings mixed with parables.
The teachings of Jesus related to money require us to repent (or change directions). The world says one thing and the Word says another. We must shift from the former to the latter in order to grow.
All the while God is kind and patient. He does not force people to grasp life in His economy but patiently waits for us turn and to figure it out as we live it out. But, the sad reality is that many won’t do that.
I see lots of so-called Christians on the “rich fool” path. Their hoarded wealth testifies against them reveals where they have misplaced their faith and trust.
So what is our role today? We get to be kind and patient with people to encourage growth in generosity. We must communicate and incarnate truth about money lest we serve it instead of God.
But growing in this area and getting others to join us happens not by telling people to do a few acts of giving. It happens best when we show others the way by example and do it with kindness and patience.