Archives by: Gary Hoag

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

“The one who is filled with the Holy Spirit speaks in different languages. These different languages are different ways of witnessing to Christ, such as humility, poverty, patience, and obedience; we speak in those languages when we reveal in ourselves these virtues to others. Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak.”

Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) in Sermon 1 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 510.

The apostle Paul beckons the Colossians and us to clothe ourselves with humility and other virtues. Garments provide a vivid picture of the necessity of these virtues. We must not leave home without them.

Anthony provides us with another word picture that is similarly graphic. When we exhibit humility, patience, or generosity, it speaks to people. It sends a message that speaks louder than words. What message about generosity do your actions speak?

There’s a saying around the world: If a person speaks three languages, they are European. If they speak two languages, they are from the majority world (and speak English as a second language). And if a person speaks only one language, they are American.

Perhaps many of us who are reading this need to go to language school. I pray everyone reading this speaks the language of generosity with rich and ever growing fluency.

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Titus 2:7-8

“Those who want to work for moral reform in the world must seek the glory of God before all else… Their upright lives and noble conduct must shine before all who are in the house of God… They will be like skilled physicians taking great pains to dispose of all the diseases that afflict the Church and require a cure. They will ready themselves to provide suitable remedies for each illness. As far as remedies applicable to the whole Church are concerned, reform must begin with high and low alike, with superiors and inferiors. Yet the reformers must look first to those who are set above the rest, so that reform can begin at the point from which it may spread to the others.”

John Leonardi (1541-1609) in Letter as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 505.

Whether you work in Christian ministry or support it generously through your giving and service, Leonardi reminds us to keep two things in view.

Firstly, do everything for the glory of God.

Those who engage in “philanthropy” (a word I avoid using, because in biblical times it was associated with “love of glory” or getting public praise for giving) must keep Christ in focus and avoid the spotlight.

Secondly, we must engage reform both at the top and the bottom.

The apostle Paul urged Titus in today’s Scripture to set an example for those he served in Crete. We must do the same where we are. And any reform efforts must address those at the top as well as those on the grassroots level.

These two points come together to show us how to strengthen the Church which is under attack today.

If we do everything for God’s glory, and if we engage reform both at top and the bottom, our generous service will strengthen the Church where God has situated us.

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. Mark 8:35

“Meet Me in the morning stillness, while the earth is fresh with the dew of My Presence. Worship Me in the beauty of holiness. Sing love songs to My holy name. As you give yourself to Me, My Spirit swells within you till you are flooded with divine presence.

The world’s way of pursuing riches is grasping and hoarding. You attain My riches by letting go and giving. The more you give yourself to Me and My ways, the more I fill you with inexpressible, heavenly joy.”

Sarah Young in Jesus Calling (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004) reading for 4 May. Special thanks to my faithful friend, Don Siecke, who shared today’s reading with me.

As a new week begins with Sunday, let us pause and give ourselves to the Lord afresh. Let us worship Him and thank Him for His generosity to us and for teaching us the way life and “Inexpressible, heavenly joy.”

When Jesus walked the earth, He shared this counterintuitive, world-shaking truth: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”

In reality most people are trying to save their lives and they are losing everything. Only those who lose their lives for Jesus and the gospel will save it. But how do they learn this? Show and tell.

We get to show people with our lives and share with our lips that we have found the way to life, and it’s free for everyone. If you are grasping and hoarding, stop today. Let go. Give yourself to Jesus and His ways.

When he sent me this reading, Don wrote, “Thought you might like this.”

I replied. “Don, Thanks for thinking of me. I’ve had a good and busy week. Giving myself away in service and finding great joy. Thanks for sharing it. I will pass it on to the world. With you.”

When you give you never know the impact it can have. It may seem little but it might result in touching many to discover the pathway to inexpressible, heavenly joy.

“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

“Speak to each man individually, following God’s example; bear the infirmities of all, like a perfect athlete of God. The greater the toil, the richer the reward. If you love only your good disciples, you gain no merit, rather you must win over the more troublesome of them by kindness. The same salve does not heal all wounds…Do not be overwhelmed by those who seem trustworthy and yet teach heresy. Remain firm, like the anvil under the hammer. The good athlete must take punishment in order to win. And above all, we must bear with everything for God, so that He in turn may bear with us.”

Ignatius of Antioch (d. 108) in Polycarp as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 504.

This wisdom is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold.

“Speak to each man individually.”

What great advice! Generosity toward people is treating them individually. And this does not just pertain to those we love, but it means we show kindness to even the most troublesome.

“Bear the infirmities of all.”

Our most generous witness comes into view as not as solving people’s problems but helping them bear them. This includes people undeserving of our care. Remember Jesus says when we care for such people we are “children of the Most High.”

“The same salve does not heal all wounds.”

Imagine have different salves up your sleeve to meet the unique needs of others. That’s a beautiful picture of generosity. And if it stopped there it’d be great advice from this “apostolic father” and martyr from the early church.

“Remain firm, like the anvil under the hammer.”

So, what do you do when people around you are difficult and even spreading the wrong message. You stand strong. You take a beating and keep on going.

“We must bear with everything for God, so that He in turn may bear with us.”

Wow! What a humbling ending. Lest we get prideful for our service and sharing, our generosity and caring, he reminds us that we bear with everything for God so He will bear with us. Amen.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13

“Our service to mankind must be given freely. One who is in such a position must be subject to everyone and serve his brothers as if he were paying off a debt. Moreover, those who are in charge should work harder than the others and conduct themselves with greater submission than their own subjects. Their lives should serve as a visible example of what service means, and they should remember that those who are committed to their trust are held in trust from God.”

Gregory of Nyssa (c.335-c.395) in Letter 2> as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 500.

Gregory helps us see that the trajectory of generous Christian service is opposite from the world in at least three ways.

Firstly, our generous service is given freely. When Jesus sent the first disciples on mission, He proclaimed, “Freely you received, freely give” (Matthew 10:5-8). We get to do the same thing.

Secondly, our service equates with paying off a debt. Paul describes this debt as owing a “debt to love one another” (Romans 13:8). And we can always be generous too because we never run out of love.

Thirdly, our service grows rather shrinks. Remember, Jesus said “the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke 22:26)

So, while the world might charge, might act entitled to receive rather than give, and seek to serve less, we get to “work harder” with “greater submission” just like our Lord Jesus Christ.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:3

“Dearly beloved, I rejoice in your faith, in the salvation that comes from faith, in your good works, which are not confined to your own surroundings but spread far and wide. Like a farmer tending a sound tree, untouched by ax or fire because of its fruit, I want not only to serve you in the body, good people that you are, but also to give my life for your well-being.”

Eusebius of Vercelli (283-371) in Letter 2> as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 499.

If you have not downloaded my recent ebook, Flourish, co-authored with my wife Jenni Hoag, and Linda Maris, of NCF Wisconsin, click here to get your free digital copy.

And consider the picture of the sound tree. It means that it the tree is reliable and effective. Do those adjectives describe you? Is your tree dependable at bearing fruit?

If not, I offer you the same thing Eusebius offered those he served in Sardinia as a bishop. He offered himself as an offering for their well-being. So here’s how this relates to you.

I love doing fresh research daily. Send me your questions, your challenges, your difficult stewardship verses, and I will do research and make posts that aim to bless you and contribute to your well-being.

I would find no greater joy that to help you grow in the faith and good works to become a sound tree. And I don’t have all this figured out. But I am eager to learn. With you.

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

“Our Lord Jesus Christ has appointed certain men to be guides and teachers of the world and stewards of His divine mysteries… Accordingly, in affirming that they are sent by him just as he was sent by the Father, Christ sums up in a few words the approach they themselves should take to their ministry. From what he said, they would gather that it was their vocation to call sinners to repentance, to heal those who were sick whether in body or spirit, to seek in all their dealings never to do their own will but the will of Him who sent them, and as far as possible to save the world by their teaching.”

Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) in his work entitled John as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 499.

This is a post for all the teachers out there. Do fresh research as a faithful steward of His divine mysteries. This work for you as a guide and teacher may transform you and provide the new insights you need for serving others.

That was my experience in real time. I teach today in the International Consultation on Accountability Integration for Organizational Flourishing. If you want a copy of my paper, “Peer Accountability: A Biblical Analysis,” let me know.

If you want to attend the consultation from 2-5 May 2023 to view it live or get access to all the papers and more from guides and teachers from 11 countries, register here.

Whether or not you join 188+ Christian workers from 33+ countries or not, hear this. Generosity happens when we do deep study, learn new biblical insights, and share them to help people live differently and honor God.

If you are a teacher, double down. Make it your aim to be found faithful as a steward of the mysteries of God. Don’t study to gain just knowledge either. Knowledge puffs up but love builds up.

Study to gain knowledge to build others up as a guide or teacher for God’s glory.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

“How the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and this weakness stronger than men! In what way is it stronger? It made its way through the world and overcame all men; countless men sought to eradicate the very name of [Christ] crucified, but that name flourished and grew even mightier. Its enemies lost out and perished…”

John Chrysostom (347-407) in 1 Corinthians 4 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 225.

The foolishness of God is not only wiser and stronger than any human thinking. Following them is the only way to flourish. Speaking of flourishing….

If you want a copy of my most recent book, Flourish, co-authored with my wife, Jenni Hoag, and my good friend, Linda Maris, click here. And if you know anyone who speaks Spanish or Ukrainian, stay tuned as it will be freely available in those languages shortly.

But, at this point you may be asking what this has to do with generosity. Honestly, everything!

The teachings of Jesus on money make no absolutely sense in this world. Just like the message of the crucifixion and resurrection, it requires a person to have faith to believe. You don’t figure them out until you live them out.

So, if you want to lose out and perish, follow the world’s way of thinking about life and money. But if you want to overcome the world and experience flourishing, live out the foolishness of God, starting today.

Father in heaven, we want to flourish as a testimony to the truth of the gospel. Help us obey even your most hard teachings in order to witness to your faithfulness. Make it so by your Spirit we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:16-17

“Wash yourself clean, so that you may hold a richer store of grace. Sins are forgiven equally for all, but communion in the Holy Spirit is given in the measure of each one’s faith. If you have done little work, you will receive little; if you have achieved a great deal, great will be your reward.”

Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386) in Catechetical 1 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 330.

This is a powerful idea from Cyril today.

Everyone’s sins are forgiven equally, but we only commune with the Spirit to the extent that we live out our faith by doing good work with God. And it’s something Isaiah tells us that we learn.

We learn to “do good, seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow.” We discover in the process of doing these things that we find joy, satisfaction, and best of all, communion with the Spirit.

People often ask me how to hear God’s voice. Here’s my answer.

Learn to do the good God put you on earth to do. And I don’t mean the easy stuff. I mean the messy stuff of which Isaiah speaks: “do good, seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow.”

Three things will happen. I mean this, so listen closely.

Firstly, you will see the face of Jesus in those you serve. You will find Him in the hungry and needy person. In the least likely person, you will experience Him.

Secondly, you will hear the Spirit speaking to you, leading you, guiding you. You will pray without ceasing, asking, “What do I do?” And in response, the Spirit will show you, “This is the path, walk ye in it.”

Thirdly, you will experience the providence of the Father. You will have great needs, and in His time and way, He will supply. The process will stretch and grow your faith, but that’s how the father grows His children.

Praying for a richer store of grace for all who read this.

You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. Acts 10:37-38

“This was the method that Jesus used with the apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalized, and still others to hope for God’s mercy.”

John Bosco (1815-1888) in his Letter 4 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 553.

Jesus had a generous method as he went about doing good that we do well to follow.

Firstly, Bosco says, he put up with ignorance, roughness, and infidelity. While we can be quick to give up on people or write them off, that’s precisely the opposite of how Jesus has treated each of us.

Secondly, he treated sinners with kindness and affection. In a word, he showed love to the undeserving which shocked, scandalized and struck many to humble themselves and hope for mercy.

As I sat outside yesterday afternoon and looked to the mountains from our little deck (pictured above). I pondered and thought, “I need help from the Lord to live out this generous method. We all do.”

Father in heaven, thanks for you kindness to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us by your Holy Spirit to put up with the ignorant, rough, and unreliable while showing kindness and love to all. Hear our prayer in your mercy. Amen.