Second’s Appearance
Generous Giving – Part 1

Scripture Reading:  Luke 6:37-42

Key Verse:  Luke 6:38

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.”

Our giving habits will reveal who is first and who is second in our lives.  A person who sees himself as first will give first to himself.  “Self” is the main value and focus.  It is not that this person never gives to others, but they reserve generous giving for themselves.  Look at your checkbook if you have any question of your own status.  It will reveal who is first.

            God’s call upon our lives is to live out the motto: “I am second.”  Jesus is to be first in your life and all your decisions.  When Jesus is first, others around you are valued above yourself as well.  To love Jesus is to follow His model and teachings.  The greatest commandment Jesus ever gave was to love God with all your heart, soul and mind.  The next greatest command, according to Jesus, is to love your neighbor (Matthew 20:37-39).

            Are you a generous giver?  It may be a hard question to answer if you don’t accept some type of biblical benchmark.  To give $5 seems generous beside a $1 donation.  Five dollars looks cheap compared to a $50 donation.  How does anyone know what God would consider generous?  The only biblical benchmark given is the tithe—10% of your income.  In my opinion, generosity doesn’t really start until you exceed 10%.  Jesus gave the command to tithe in Matthew 23:23.  Meeting that level of giving is obedience, going beyond that level of giving is generosity.  (Continued)

Father, I want my giving to reflect my heart.  I want to serve you and make you first in my life.  I will live today as “I am second.”  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.