By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Galatians 5:22-23
Generosity includes financial giving but goes far beyond that one area of life. In a chapter on stewardship as a spiritual discipline, Calhoun rightly reminds us that faithful stewards exhibit various God-given fruits.
– being liberated from greed, self-centeredness, money and other things so that the generous spirit of Jesus grows in you
– embracing generous hospitality toward those in need
– modeling God’s goodness and generosity
– awareness of your selfishness and lack of love for others
– living from the conviction that nothing belongs to you; you didn’t deserve it or earn it; it all came from God
– investing in the kingdom of God, building up treasure in heaven
– loving God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and loving your neighbor as yourself
– stewarding the earth and all your resources; freedom from the toxic disease of affluenza
Adele Ahlberg Calhoun in Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us (Downers Grove: IVP, 2005) 190.
Read the list again. Is there a fruit of generosity that may not be evident in your life? Or might you have room for growth in one of these areas? If so, ask the Father today, in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit, to transform you on the inside so that specific fruit appears on the outside in the days to come, for His glory.