Thursday, November 29 2007

How to be rich – Part 3

1 Tim. 6:18-19 – ‘They are to do good… to be generous and ready to share…’

Say for example that to be generous is that we all should give at least 10% from what we have. So if we have $10, then to be generous means to give at least $1 and sure enough that won’t be a problem for most of us. But if we have $1000, to be considered generous means that we have to give at least $100 and at this point we might get a bit uncomfortable because start to think all the things that we can do and buy with $100 that we were about to give. Finally then, if we have $10,000 being generous then means we have to give at least $1000 and for many of us that’s a lot of money for a lot of things. And at this point we all would think more than twice to give that $1000 away. With that in mind, does being generous have to do with amount or just sincerity? Well, Paul says both.

The key to understand what Paul says about being generous is the phrase next to it – ready to share. Being generous basically, Paul says, is the readiness to share what we have – because we can’t share what we don’t have. Point is often rich people share with others as if they don’t have much – they share what’s left over from what they have used up for themselves.

So does being generous have to do with amount? Yes, certainly said Paul because it involves what you have in your hand. Is it all to it? No, said Paul because it also involves readiness – a sincerity that sprouts from a thankful heart of being blessed more than we need.