Anyway! This summer we've been talking about prayers God always answers. Last night, the prayer was "God, outdo me in generosity." and it centered around Luke 6:38 "Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you, full measure, pressed down, running so much over that men will heap it into your arms." Whoa - is it just me, or is that verse a lot of handle? What the heck does it mean anyway?
Unpacking this together last night was so inspirational and I wanted to share a couple quick thoughts from that time. The first idea that was really eye opening was how much of a role control plays in our propensity to give. As humans we have the perception that we can somehow control what goes on around us, at least to some extent. Many of us trick ourselves into thinking (myself included) that our 401(k)'s and savings accounts keep us safe. If we can control the money we set aside for a rainy day, control our budget for exactly what we need and then share what's left over, we essentially are telling God we don't need to trust Him. Rather than give the Maker of the Universe control over His blessings that He's shared with us, we prefer hold onto the control because it feels safer - at least it does for me! Here's the thing though...who's to say our 401(k) will be worth anything when it's time to retire or that we'll even have a car to use that money we're saving for flat tires and repairs. Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not saying don't save. What I think I'm starting to understand though, is that our reasoning is pretty flawed and that we are VERY mistaken if we think we can control anything! So why hold on so tightly to the things that our "ours", especially when God promises that His generosity back to us will always be more than what we give to others.
The other idea that really stood out was how it easy for us to be generous with some things, while at the same time holding back what really counts. I like to think of myself as a generous person. My house is always open anytime people want to come over. They know they can walk in and eat whatever they want and use whatever they need (or so they think). What about the last brownie, though, that I make sure to stash away, because I'm happy to share when there's plenty, but when there's not an abundance, I want to save what's left for myself. (Let's not talk about the fact that I'll typically forget about it and it will go bad anyway!) Or how about a gift you received, is that easy to share? It's not for me! I even think about giving to those in need. The other day I bought a homeless person a breakfast sandwich and a cup of coffee with a Dunkin Donuts gift card I got for my birthday. The gift card still had some money on it and for a second I thought, she could probably use this more than me. But the thought that erased that one was, well, it was a present for ME, I should keep it! I mean, there was like $10 left, I could find that in a jacket pocket I haven't worn in a while, or stashed in a corner of my purse I forgot about. It wasn't about the money, but my entitlement.
So that's what I'm thinking about today. If my theme in life right now is living abundantly, I'm pretty sure giving generously is key to that. The question then is, how can I be more generous? I challenge you to think about that as well. Can we rely on the promise that God's going to give back to us so generously that it will be spilling out of our arms?
I know you're really here to read about my crazy misadventures in the world of dating. Don't worry, I'm working up to that :-)
Have a great holiday weekend! What are your plans?
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