“A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.” (Proverbs 22:9)

“And when she rose up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. Also let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her.” (Ruth 2:15-16)

John Maxwell writes, “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. Leaders who fail to display generosity should ask themselves, 'Do I really love the people I lead?' When great leaders err, they always err on the side of generosity.” [1]

1 John 3:17 says, “But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?”

Throughout the Bible, through parables and commands we are being taught about generosity. Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

“You give and take away, You give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name!” sings

God is generous to us. He lavishes His love upon us as He adopts us as His children. He willingly went to the cross and tasted immense shame, ridicule, and pain to save us from our sins and give us eternal life.

Romans 10:12-13 “... for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

John 3:16 , “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

All who ask from Him receive. Matthew 7:7-11 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

And Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Yet, in His generosity and lavish love, He does not indulge our sin, greed and selfishness.

To indulge someone means to give them unrestrained free rein in their sin. They are treated with excessive leniency and consideration. [2] Indulgence is not love or generosity, but a failure to discipline to the harm of the person being indulged. Indulgence can result from neglect, fear of losing the relationship, over accommodation, or people pleasing.

An example of indulgence in the Bible is Eli with his sons in 1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-36. Eli's sons were corrupt and acted wickedly. In their role as priests they were taking advantage of the people. Their sin was very great in the sight of the Lord as they abhorred the offering of the Lord. Eli once spoke up to his sons saying, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons! For is is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord's people transgress.” However, Eli never restrained his sons in their behavior. As a result, God sent a prophet to Eli to rebuke him and then warned him a second time through Samuel. And when Eli still failed to restrain his sons, the Lord's judgment came upon them (Samuel 4:12-18).

God does not indulge us but rather disciplines us in love.

Hebrews 12:6-11 says,
“'For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.'
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Generosity is a liberality in spirit[3] that has a willing heart versus a grudging attitude.

In 2 Corinthians 9:5-7, Paul told the church, “So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Generosity is a disposition toward others that desires the best for the other person. One willingly sacrifice self for the other person's benefit out of love. As one commentary notes, generosity, acts of charity, is synonymous with love and is a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22, NRSV).[4]

Generosity comes from the heart of the giver and is not necissarily tied to circumstances or the person receiving the charity. However, charity can also be extended to someone because they find favor.

When Boez gave favor generously to Ruth, it was because she found favor in his eyes. He had heard about her loyalty to her mother-in-law:

Boaz told Ruth to glean in his field and stay close to his young women, having told his young men not to touch her. So she asked him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” And he told her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to people whom you did not know before. The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

Jesus frequently gave freely to all who asked, no matter the person's character or past. He gave generously because His heart was moved with compassion towards their need. When Jesus was passing through Jerusalem, he passed through a village where ten lepers stood far off and asked Him for mercy. So when Jesus saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so as they went, they were cleansed. Out of the ten, only one was thankful to Him for the gift and was made a different person as a result (Luke 17:11-19).

However, Jesus did not give what was asked to those who were just looking to be indulged in their sin. In Matthew 12:38-39, when some teachers of the law and Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign, He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

I have experienced all three of these examples in my own life:

At times I give to some organizations over others because my heart supports the good work they are doing and because I know they will steward well the funds. I desire to be a part of it in some way.

In Philippians 4:14-17, Paul commends the church for coming to his aid and meeting his needs while he was preaching the gospel in new territory -where they had not yet grasp hold of an understanding of giving and receiving. He told them, “Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.”

Yet, there are other times that I just give because my heart goes out to someone or some cause. It has nothing to do with past performance, but because my heart is moved towards them in their pain.

Jesus constantly was meeting people's needs because He was moved with compassion for their pain. In Mark 1:40-42, “A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, 'If you are willing, you can make me clean.' Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:42, “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”

However, there are other times people have tried to manipulate me out of funds where I have not given to them because I felt it would do more harm than good.

Ephesians 4:28 says, “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.”

Generosity is not a function of how much wealth one has. One can be in poverty themselves, yet give freely.

In 1 Kings 17:7-24, the word of the Lord came to Elijah telling him, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” When he came to the gate of the city, he saw a widow there gathering sticks and asked her for a little water. And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said to him, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” Elijah told her, “'Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’' So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.”

What is significant is not the amount of wealth one has but one's grip on their wealth. Riches can easily become an idol and a place we obtain our security.

In Luke 12:33 Jesus told a young man who was rich, “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.”

And in 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Paul told Timothy, “command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

The ultimate reason we give is not just because we believe something is a worthwhile cause, but we give out of obedience in love and honor of God. Luke 12:34 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

“Though I was poor, you made me rich” sings in the background.

In Malachi 1:13, the Lord rebukes Israel for their offerings. The people did not honor or fear Him. They were giving to Him what they did not want for themselves. He told them, “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering!”

Many years ago, I frequently heard Malachi 3:10 as a reason to give. We should tithe and give because God will “open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” I often was taught that 'you can't out give God' and the more you give to His kingdom work, the more He will give You in return.

However, if one is giving to get something from God, they are manipulating Him rather than loving and honoring Him. The most incredible blessing we have is our relationship with Him. He is our treasure and our reason for giving freely to others. We give out of the overflow of what He has so generously poured into us.

“You make my soul sing... You are my portion in this life... I'll bring an offering that's pleasing to Your heart. I give You praise that's rightly due, laying down all to follow You” sings

The woman that put the two mites in the offering plate knew her greatest treasure was her relationship to God. She caught Jesus' eye when she gave him all she had. Jesus watched her put in everything and told His disciples, “They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on." (Mark 12:44)

“I've found Your love better than anything.”

Generosity is also not based upon having the right circumstances in one's life. Sometimes I will hear people who are having financial difficulties tell me that when they get their finances straight and have the money, they plan to give. But until then, they cannot. However, they never seem to get to a place that they feel they can give. 'Getting there' is some elusive mark around the corner.

The truth is that we all give of ourselves, our time and our resources into those things that we find most important to us. If giving to others is most important to us, we will find a way to give.

I once had an agreement with my husband for a period of time that I would not give financially. It was a difficult season for me. As I sat in church and watched the offering plate pass by, I was heartbroken and told God I felt I had nothing to contribute to His kingdom. At that moment, I felt Him speak to me that I had much deeper pockets than I thought. His nudging caused me to look at other ways I could give into His kingdom and I found that I had much more to give to Him than I ever knew.

Also, sometimes God will call us to sow in our famine. In Gen 26:1-12, there was a famine in the land of Canaan. God told Isaac to stay and sow in the land rather than go to Egypt. When he obeyed, he reaped a hundredfold in the same year.

Times of suffering and poverty can lead us either to a place of bitterness about it or brokenness and surrender. When the Corinthians were suffering severe persecution because of their faith, it made them all the more generous. Paul said, “While they were being severely tested by suffering, their overflowing joy, along with their extreme poverty, has made them even more generous.” (2 Corinthians 8:2)

I have a friend who I deeply admire. She has severe health issues and has suffered extreme poverty. However, in the midst of her suffering, she generously and willingly gives her life away freely to others. She works with the homeless and has lived in a shelter herself. However, she never seems to be concerned for her own situation. She is constantly giving her life away serving others. She has such a richness of character about her.

“Let me not waste a moment of this life on things that are passing, on things that are fading away.”

The only way to break the hold of money, as my pastor has noted on occasion, is by giving. As we empty ourselves of self-concern, we gain freedom and overflowing joy in our giving. Daryl. J. Heald writes, “It is hard to give money away. That is why we desperately need God's intervention to conform our hearts to the image of Christ; only then will we be able to be generous as Christ is generous...

Mark Powell notes that 'the Bible teaches that generosity is a fruit of God's Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). The way to become generous people, then, involves not quenching God's Spirit (1 Thess. 5:10), but allowing the transforming work of Christ to have its full effect in shaping us to be the people God wants us to be.” [5]

We often do not need to look far to see people who have needs for us to meet. We need only look to our neighbor. When a lawyer asked Jesus, 'who is my neighbor?', Jesus told him a parable about a Samaritan man. He noted that there was a man who had been robbed, wounded and was laying on the side of the road. A priest and a Levite walked by on the other side of the road with indifference for this man. However, the Samaritan had compassion on him, bandaged his wounds and cared for him at his own personal expense. Jesus then told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Sometimes, as we begin to notice all the needs around us, it can seem overwhelming. However, giving is not based upon how much we have in our own strength to give. As we share God's heart to give to others and have come to the end of ourselves as the source of meeting other's needs, we find that God is more than sufficient.

Matthew 5:2, MSG, says, “You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.”

In Luke 9:12-17 the disciples told Jesus to send away the crowd that had gathered so that they could find food and lodging. Jesus told them, “'You give them something to eat.' They answered, 'We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.' (About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, 'Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.' The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”

And in Acts 3:1 – 4:31, Peter and John went up to the temple to pray and saw a crippled beggar at the gate. The beggar “called them and asked for a gift of money, just as he had begged from every other passer-by. The two apostles stopped and turned to look for him. Seeing his pitiful condition, Peter said to the man, 'Look on us!' And the cripple looked up, expecting to receive at least a small coin. But Peter said to him, 'Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give to you.".' Then with a tone of command he said: 'In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk!' With these words Peter took the surprised man by his right hand and lifted him up, and at once strength came into the feet and ankles that had always been helpless. Then the man sprang up and walked and leaped about, praising God.”

What the beggar asked for was money as he always had. But instead, what he received was empowerment by God to walk. Sometimes, when we are giving out of our own strength, we give in pity and create a dependence rather than empower people. When we continuously meet other's needs in their difficulty without empowering them to begin to change their circumstances, they stay stuck and dependent upon us to band-aid the situation for them. When we do this, we are validating their learned helplessness.

I once had a dream where I saw a poor beggar woman sitting under a directional sign and helplessly looking to me. What I realized is that I needed to empower her to look up and learn to begin to see the answers for herself rather than keep looking to me for all the answers. In empowering others, we are extending them a hand to help them to stand and walk on their own.

Hannah proclaims in 1 Samuel 2:8, “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory.”

When Boez saw Ruth gleaning in his field, he did not tell her to take all the grain she needed and go home. Rather, he told her to continue to glean in his field and to stay close to his young women. He made a way for her so that she would be safe and told his young men to not reproach her and leave her extra bundles. As Boez empowered her, she gained more and more confidence to step forward into all God had for her.

Years ago when I started working at the University, there was an employee who worked for my boss as an entry level accountant. She was tall, quiet, and she walked hunched over with her long hair covering her face. As I was praying about an accounting position I had open, I felt God speak to me to offer it to her.

I spoke to my boss about it the next day and offered her the job. As I have prayed for her and empowered her, she has continued to grow and gain more confidence in herself. When I moved to my current job, she moved with me. She looks like a completely different person than when I first hired her. She has short hair, stands up straight and is one of my lead people. She is exceptionally bright and capable.

However, we do not need to be someone's boss to empower them. John Maxwell writes that "Our influence has less to do with our position or title than it does with the life that we live. It's not about position, but production. It is not the education we get, but the empowerment we give, that makes a difference to others." He notes that the key is credibility. He writes, "We gain credibility when our life matches our talk and when both add value to others." [6]

John Maxwell asks the following questions:

• Are you the same person no matter who's with you?
• Do you make decisions based on how they benefit you or others?
• Are you quick to recognize others for their efforts when you succeed?
• Do you work harder at your image or your integrity? [7]

To empower someone means to invest in them and equip them, supplying them with the ability or enablement [8] they need to live life well. It comes from a heart disposition of generousity towards others, willingly and freely investing into other's lives. Parents most often do this with their children, investing in them and enabling them to successfully live life. By teaching, example, discipline, self-sacrifice, and providing learning experiences filled with grace, they instill wisdom in their children, teaching them how to live well.

Proverbs 8:20-21 says about wisdom, "I traverse in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries."

Bosses, friends, pastors, teachers, and many other role models can also invest in us, having a significant influence on us in teaching us how to live life well. Where healthy parental role model(s) are absent, other role models frequently play a much more substantial role in one's life.

For me, both my previous pastor and my first boss out of college (who is now also a pastor) played a role in my life in empowering me. I wouldn't be where I am today in my career or my life without their willingness to invest in me. However, the person that has had the most significant impact on my life has been my current pastor. As he has poured himself into his messages for our benefit week after week, investing in us and modeling how to live life, it has significantly changed and influenced my life. He has empowered me by equipping me with what I need to live life. While I still always have room to grow, my life is substantially different because of his influence.

“Into a marvelous light I am running, out of darkness, out of shame, by the cross You are the truth, You are the life, You are the way” sings in the background.

Lord, Thank you for the people you have placed in my life that have invested in me. I am deeply grateful. I long to give to others what I have been so generously received. Help me to freely give my life away to others.

You are worthy of all we have to offer You. Would you empower us to be generous in the way we live our lives. We long to offer all we have to give to You - our hearts, mind, strength and our resources.

1. Maxwell, John. The Maxwell Leadership Bible, Second Edition. Maxwell Motivation, Inc. Nashville, TN. 2007.

2.Indulge Dictionary Definition. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Located at: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indulging?show=0&t=1289680338 Last Accessed: 11/16/10.

3.Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary.; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.

4. Anderson, K. (1996). Where to find it in the Bible. Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

5. Heald, Daryl J. Revolution in Generosity: Trnasforming Stewards to be Rich Toward God. "Lessons Learned on the Journey of Generosity." Moody Publishers. Chicago, IL. 2008.

6-7. Maxwell, John. The Maxwell Leadership Bible, Second Edition. Maxwell Motivation, Inc. Nashville, TN. 2007.

8. Empowerment Dictionary Definition. The Free Dictionary. Located at: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/empowerment Last Accessed: 11/16/10.