It’s hard to find generosity in a world clouded by wealth, exposure, and fame. The current climate is giving rise to a generation of narcissistic and selfish adults who, far from giving, keep what they can close to their chests. They’re possessed by individualism, a way of life assailed by Bishop Lenley Newland.
Generosity doesn’t always have to involve money. We saw it when God gave us Jesus and when Jesus died on the cross for his followers. As long as you’re compassionate, you can be generous.
The Bible has a lot to say about generosity. Keep reading to learn the Christian way of giving.
1. Thanksgiving
When you’re grateful for what you already have, you aren’t striving for more, and when you aren’t striving for more, you aren’t consumed by the greed to have your cake and eat it too.
What we’re trying to say is, when you give thanks to the Lord for what He’s already bestowed upon you, you’re more likely to look at His other followers, the ones who aren’t as fortunate as you and want to help them through money, food, or other resources.
2. Look Around You
You don’t have to go out of your way to be charitable. Socialize, have conversations, and keep an ear out for the needs of those around you. Try to hear between the lines, for a cry for help is often in the implication than the statement itself.
For instance, if your neighbors are considering giving away their dog because they can’t afford pet sitting services, you can step in and volunteer to look after it for them. If a friend of your child needs financial help, you could help them out by simply asking them to stay over a few nights or inviting them to dinner with your family. If an elderly needs help to cross the road, you could step in. Kindness is a form of generosity, and it doesn’t have to cost anything.
3. Start with Your Church
Giving is the first step toward generosity. Start with the place where you feel safest: your local church. Make a point of donating a portion of your earnings every month, even if it leaves you with more savings.
You may think you can’t donate until you’ve got savings, but it’s not that. You can only give by giving, not saving. The more you have, the more tempted you’d be to save it for your rainy days or spend it on yourself.
4. Support a Charity
There’s nothing wrong with donating to a charity that supports a cause you’re passionate about. You can pitch in for noble reasons, such as digging wells in countries without access to clean drinking water, feeding the hungry, supporting oppressed Christians, etc.
Find a charity that prioritizes the causes you prioritize, make sure they’re legitimate, and hit them with the full force of your generosity through prayer, donation, volunteer work, or participation in charity events.
5. Sacrifice Your Luxuries
Sacrifice is the Lord’s approach to giving. If you plan to be in His good graces, you better start sacrificing your luxuries for someone else’s commodities. Give up on minor things like your weekly takeout, the daily coffee shop runs, or casual shopping sprees.
You can do without all these things, so give up on them, and divert those funds to your local church, charity, or even a food bank.
6. Don’t Dispose of, Donate
Generous people don’t have generous wardrobes. They keep only the bare essentials and give away the rest. If your wardrobe contains anything you haven’t used for a year, give it away to your nearest Goodwill.
If there isn’t one near you, we suggest going out of your way and finding them a new owner anyway instead of disposing them. If you’ve got many items you haven’t used in more than a year, take a day or two out of your weekend and sort through everything. Your freed-up space will look a lot bigger and your heart a lot fuller by the end of it all.
Learn More About Generosity from Bishop Newland
Once you’ve gone through Bible verses about generosity, buy a copy of Bishop Newland’s The Spirit of Individualism to learn why generosity, and not selfishness, is the way to live in everlasting peace and harmony. Practice giving by holding nothing back from the people Jesus sacrificed his life for and for the God who gave up His beloved Son for us.
Get in touch with Bishop Newland to share your review and thoughts.
About the Author
Linda Keck runs a Christian book club in a small town somewhere in Ohio. She and her husband, a pastor, have met Bishop Lenley Newland on several occasions and describe him as a man on a mission to eradicate individualism and the divide it’s created in society from the roots. The Spirit of Individualism is a popular subject of discussion at Keck’s book club and her first guest blog.
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