The Joy Of Generosity
Exodus 35
I heard a story once about a man who was approached by his pastor. The pastor was concerned because the man had never once given financially to the church. When confronted about it, the man told the pastor, “Well, Rev, at the end of each week I take all the money that I have earned, and I throw up in the air. Whatever comes back down is mine and whatever doesn’t is God’s.”
Obviously, this isn’t a true story. However, the attitude of the man is very much true of some believers today. You see, the mistake the man made was thinking that the money was his. All that we have is really the Lord’s. We are simply to be good stewards of what God has allowed us to possess. The problem with some Christians is that they don’t posses money, money possesses them.
Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” When money possesses us, it can shipwreck our faith. The best way to fight a love of money is to give it away- to learn to be a generous giver.
Paul went on to write in vs. 18-19, “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” Generous living through godly giving is actually an investment. It’s storing up eternal treasures. Also, generosity allows a person to “take hold of that which is truly life.” I’ve yet to see a generous giver who didn’t exhibit joy in their life.
In Exodus 35, we see how the tabernacle of God would be built. It would be through the generous giving of God’s people. Moses told his fellow Jews, “Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution” (v. 5). Moses then listed various items needed for the tabernacle. He also shared what needed to be done as well.
Reading through Exodus, it’s obvious that God’s people didn’t always get it right. As mentioned on more than one occasion, they could be a “stiff-necked” people. However, in this chapter, many of them got it right. It says in v. 21, “And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.”
Notice they didn’t just contribute because they were suppose to, out of a sense of guilt or shame. The verse says their “heart stirred” and their “spirit moved.” It reminds me of the instructions from 2 Corinthians 9:7,“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” We are to give with the right motives and with the right spirit.
As a pastor for over thirty years, I have seen the incredible impact a generous community of believers can have for the kingdom of God. When we discover the joy of generous giving, it is then we can “take hold of that which is truly life.”
Exodus 35
I heard a story once about a man who was approached by his pastor. The pastor was concerned because the man had never once given financially to the church. When confronted about it, the man told the pastor, “Well, Rev, at the end of each week I take all the money that I have earned, and I throw up in the air. Whatever comes back down is mine and whatever doesn’t is God’s.”
Obviously, this isn’t a true story. However, the attitude of the man is very much true of some believers today. You see, the mistake the man made was thinking that the money was his. All that we have is really the Lord’s. We are simply to be good stewards of what God has allowed us to possess. The problem with some Christians is that they don’t posses money, money possesses them.
Paul writes in 1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” When money possesses us, it can shipwreck our faith. The best way to fight a love of money is to give it away- to learn to be a generous giver.
Paul went on to write in vs. 18-19, “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” Generous living through godly giving is actually an investment. It’s storing up eternal treasures. Also, generosity allows a person to “take hold of that which is truly life.” I’ve yet to see a generous giver who didn’t exhibit joy in their life.
In Exodus 35, we see how the tabernacle of God would be built. It would be through the generous giving of God’s people. Moses told his fellow Jews, “Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution” (v. 5). Moses then listed various items needed for the tabernacle. He also shared what needed to be done as well.
Reading through Exodus, it’s obvious that God’s people didn’t always get it right. As mentioned on more than one occasion, they could be a “stiff-necked” people. However, in this chapter, many of them got it right. It says in v. 21, “And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.”
Notice they didn’t just contribute because they were suppose to, out of a sense of guilt or shame. The verse says their “heart stirred” and their “spirit moved.” It reminds me of the instructions from 2 Corinthians 9:7,“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” We are to give with the right motives and with the right spirit.
As a pastor for over thirty years, I have seen the incredible impact a generous community of believers can have for the kingdom of God. When we discover the joy of generous giving, it is then we can “take hold of that which is truly life.”
Posted in Journey of Hope