A Defining Moment of Generosity
A Defining Moment of Generosity Transitions: Discovering the Generosity Factor Ruth 4:14; Ruth 2:20; 2 Corinthians 8:9
Transitions: Discovering the Generosity Factor offers an opportunity for people to face a defining transition toward generosity. When a church decides to conduct the Transitions: Discovering the Generosity Factor emphasis, members will be challenged in the areas of God’s blessing, our stewardship commitment, and opportunities to extend God’s blessing through our own generous giving in mission involvement. Throughout life we face a myriad of transitions! The life cycle affords us opportunity UP FYQFSJFODF USBOTJUJPOT GSPN DIJMEIPPE UP ZPVUI BOE FWFOUVBMMZ UP BEVMUIPPE *O DIJMEIPPE PVS OFFET TIPVME CF NFU CZ DBSJOH QBSFOUT *O ZPVUI ZFBST XF CFHJO UP understand the emerging world around us and make strides to impact it. During the adult years, we have opportunity to receive an education, get married, have children, and—in the best of circumstances—grow old with our spouse. We also see the transitions in the work world, as well as financial challenges and change in the world around us. With the multiplicity of transitions we face throughout life, we have repeated opportunities to discover ways to be known for our generosity as individuals, families, and even as congregations of faith. From the small book of Ruth in the Old Testament, we will discover some nuggets of truth about generosity in the lives of Ruth and Boaz, as well as in the stewardship themes evident through this book. God has a way of supplying a feast when we are in famine as we learn to trust Him. As He has supplied for our needs, let us also learn to care for the needs of others by going beyond the expectations of our day. As believers, we should simply be mission channels that allow His blessings to be known and shared throughout the world.
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A Defining Moment of Generosity
From the book of Ruth, we discover how Naomi and her family left Bethlehem and traveled to enemy territory in a desert place in search for food during a time of famine. What started as a temporary search evolved to a lengthy stay, and there Naomi lost her husband and two grown sons through death. The situation seemed hopeless to Naomi, as she didn’t have a home to return to and had two Moabite daughters-in-law, whom she attempted to leave behind so she might at least return to her hometown of Bethlehem. But Ruth, one of the daughters-in-law, insisted on returning to Bethlehem with her. *O (PE T QSPWJEFODF UIF UXP XPNFO XBMLFE CBDL JOUP UPXO EVSJOH IBSWFTU UJNF *U was not by accident Ruth found herself in a field owned by a distant relative of her inlaws; there she was able to glean some wheat for herself and Naomi. And there she met Boaz, who was a close relative of Naomi’s—the one who would become their kinsmanredeemer. God provided a future for both Ruth and Naomi through Boaz. And through the marriage of Boaz and Ruth and the subsequent birth of their son Obed, the family heritage of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, can be traced. Transitions are a vital part of life and serve as avenues for what God has in store for us. Several key verses should be kept in mind as you approach Transitions: Discovering the Generosity Factor. Ruth 2:20: Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed of the Lord who has not withdrawn his kindness to the living and to the dead.� Again Naomi said to her, “The man is our relative, he is one of our closest relatives.� Ruth 4:14: Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the Lord who has not left you without a redeemer today, and may his name become famous in Israel.� 2 Corinthians 8:9: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. Embrace the opportunity to discover a life of generosity by absorbing the stewardship nuggets from the book of Ruth! Prepare even now to discover together the generosity factor and implement it in your lives individually and collectively. Allow this to be your time to emerge as a person of generosity.
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