Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! (NIV)

Have you ever experienced the kind of generosity that makes you scratch your head, baffled that someone could live so open-handedly? I have, as the very computer I use to write my devotionals was an act of anonymous generosity, for which I remain extremely grateful! This is not the first time I personally have been impacted by another’s generosity. My parents experienced extreme generosity on an even larger scale as I was growing up. Medical bills made their financial load too great to pay. To my parents’ astonishment and profound relief, a wealthy friend realized their situation and paid for several tens of thousands of dollars of debt, including a good portion of my wedding, as well. This gift will never be forgotten, but what could cause someone to live so generously?  

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Depending on your background, you might assume the generous party had another motive, which would ultimately result in a scenario that somehow benefits them. Or, maybe you know the answer is Jesus, who is in fact the embodiment of generosity and humility and the very reason we celebrate this season with our own generosity. At ACF, we say things like, “We serve an incredibly generous God”. We believe God’s generosity will influence how we live. When you truly understand the generosity that has been poured out for you, you desire for others to experience the love and generous nature of God.  

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If you need a reminder of how God has been generous to you personally, Job 12:10 says, “In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” You have breath in your lungs at this very moment because God gave it to you. There are gifts we all enjoy, such as the beauty of nature we see every day and the country in which we live where it is legal to go to church, to read and teach the Bible, and to worship God. Ephesians 2:1-10 also reminds us of what we deserve and God’s most generous gift – Jesus. He left the glory of heaven, was humiliated and brought to the lowest of low, the death of a criminal. Yet he did it willingly. Jesus is generous!  

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How do we attempt to live generously, as Jesus did? I think if we back up to verse five of Philippians 2, it sheds light on how we can begin our journey of living generously. It says, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” He took on the very nature of a servant, and a servant does the will of his master. Jesus is the epitome of being obedient to the Father’s will and giving his life to bring life to us all.  

At ACF we value leading the way in generosity. You may think of being generous as it relates to money, which, at times, would seem to exclude many for which money is in short supply. While money is a real test of your heart, I would propose that we have been given so much more than monetary blessings. God has blessed us generously with time in our day and talents which are meant to praise him both inside the church and out. He has generously gifted us with his Spirit so we can exude love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, grace, and mercy to those around us.  

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It likely does not surprise you to find out that my parent’s generous friend was, in fact, a Christian. He lived out this verse by having “the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” He told my dad, “I don’t know what is going on in your life, but I believe God is directing me to do this.” He had prayed earnestly over the generous gifts that God had given him and desired to be a good steward of those gifts by being intentionally generous.

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Not many of us have thousands of dollars to spare to make any meaningful difference in someone’s life, but God gave us creativity to find ways to be generous. Let the overflow of your thankfulness for God’s generosity bless others.  When you have the mindset of Christ Jesus, taking on the very nature of a servant and humbly sacrificing for others, you need only ask God how he desires for you to use all he has given you, and then act on it generously.  

Lord Jesus, thank you for your generosity. You are so good to us and have blessed us beyond anything we could have even asked for. We pray your generosity would not be lost on us, and that this overflow in our hearts would bless others around us. As we serve others, show us where and how to be good stewards of all you give us. Amen.