Generosity as the Fruit of Understanding
Nehemiah 8:10-12; 2 Corinthians 9:7-8
Generosity as the fruit of understanding means that as we truly recognize God’s great love, blessings, and purposes for our lives, our hearts are changed, and our actions reflect this change with a greater willingness to share our time, talents, and resources with others. Generosity is looking beyond ourselves to see the struggles, needs, and burdens of those around us and responding with compassion and a desire to meet those needs.
Nehemiah is an example of one who saw the needs of his people suffering as they returned from exile to their home in Jerusalem. The city was in ruins, and he deeply felt the mourning and discouragement of his people. Through earnest prayer and fasting, he asked God to allow him to return, to restore the land, and to help his people rebuild their faith and trust in God. In God’s perfect timing, Nehemiah’s prayers were answered, and together with his people, they would be victorious and serve as a powerful testimony of God’s power and goodness to those watching. In Nehemiah 8:10, it says, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” They were no longer fearful, but secure in knowing that God was their strength and provider and would allow them to share their abundance in meeting the needs of one another.
We know that life is a challenge. We live in a world that leads us to believe that if we achieve more, earn more, and seek to live more comfortably, we will be secure and fulfilled. Unfortunately, the more we are influenced by these messages, the more burdensome and uncertain our lives become. Our culture also affects how we read and interpret Scripture. A focus on achieving financial freedom through material gain is in direct opposition to our understanding of who our God is and His promises to provide for us when we seek to trust and obey Him. In Matthew 6:24 it reads, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” God’s Word gives us many examples of those who experienced great joy and contentment despite the difficulties of life. If we believe that God owns everything and trusts us to be caretakers of all He has given us, we can live more generously for our good and for His glory.
When we examine our own hearts and our response to God’s faithful provision, it seems natural for us to be generous ourselves. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Once we see how God desires to use us to help meet the needs of His people and His kingdom, we understand His true character and how He uses our generosity to help us become more like our Lord Jesus. We have all felt the joy that comes from sharing our time with someone who is lonely or giving encouragement and support to someone who is struggling. Whether we are sharing our time, our talents, our financial resources, or our faith, we are expressing our gratefulness to God and our love for Him and others. In turn, our own faith is strengthened, our burdens are lighter, and we have a joy that attracts others to Him.
Question to Consider
How can we truly understand God’s great love, blessings, and purpose for our lives so that we develop a more generous heart that desires to be a blessing to others?
We can first ask God to reveal to us the depth of His love and His desire to meet all our needs according to His riches in glory. With confidence and a deeper understanding of His character, we are better prepared to open our hearts to living a more generous life. And once we do, God will do the rest. He will not only pour out His blessings in response to our obedience, but He will give us the joy and contentment we long for. So, when we are presented with all the ways we can achieve the “good life,” God wants us to experience the “best life.”
Prayer Prompt
Let us ask the Lord for a deeper understanding of His love and provision for us, so that when we give, it will be a reflection of His generosity, and others will see and desire to know Him as their Lord and Savior.
