Day Twenty-Eight

Day Twenty-Eight // March 28 // Growing Generosity

“You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” – John Bunyan –

There is a beauty in the imagery that portrays the growth of the great spiritual gifts as fruit grown from a tree. There is no more admirable goal in life than to be generous. But generosity is grown. We are born into the world crying to get our basic needs met. We are instinctively selfish, clamoring for more. We fight for what is ours and resent sharing. But generosity is grown and modeled. When we see how good generosity tastes, and see how it makes our lives flower, we want to branch out into increasing generosity.

In the mid-1930s, during the economic travails of the Great Depression, there was a church in the Midwest known for its magnificent pipe organ. A visitor dropped by the church during the week, and the custodian gave him a tour of the church facility, including the sanctuary.

While there, they were admiring the craftsmanship of the impressive pipe organ. As they chatted, the custodian made an off-hand remark. He commented, “I gave the money that had this pipe organ built for our church.” The visitor was shocked; he responded, “Really?” The custodian continued, “Yes, I used to own a big business and made a lot of money. During those days, I was able to give the money that did this; and then the Depression came, and I lost everything.” The visitor was astounded by the story and the irony that this wealthy man, who gave such a great gift, was now working for the church. He said, “Wow, I bet you wish you had the money back that you used to buy the organ.” The custodian looked him and said, “No, not at all. If I hadn’t given the organ and kept the money, I would have lost it along with everything else. This is the only thing that lasted.”

In 1 Timothy 6:7, the Apostle Paul teaches us a profound spiritual truth: “We brought nothing into the world, we can take nothing out of it.” All that lasts is what we give away. That is why it is imperative that we grow generosity. This should be a value and goal of the highest priority. The rotten fruit of selfishness can trip us up and ruin our lives, but generosity – of time, support, encouragement, gratitude and love – gratitude gives life and makes it worth living.

WEEK SIX: Disloyalty – The Rot of Faithfulness –

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are all around you, and have not followed my statutes or kept my ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations that are all around you; therefore thus says the Lord God: I, I myself, am coming against you; I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations. And because of all your abominations, I will do to you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again.” – Ezekiel 5:7-9 –