By Caro October 4, 2024
God is a good Father who generously gives us everything we need. Since we are His children, we should also be generous like our Father, but our selfish flesh does not want to. So how can we develop this skill?
In the book of Exodus, chapters 35 and 36, we read how the craftsmen obtained the materials needed to build the sanctuary. Their task was to produce a huge tent made of fine fabrics, furniture made from very special wood and covered with gold, as well as priestly garments embroidered with precious stones. But let us remember where the Israelites came from: they had just left Egypt. They were slaves in Egypt, they were certainly not very rich. But God brought them out of their slavery by afflicting the Egyptians with unbearable plagues. After so much destruction by insects and hail, after water was turned to blood and all the firstborns died in one night, the Egyptians were eager to see the Israelites leave! They practically drove them out of their land and gave them riches. “Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians” (Exodus 12:35-36 NKJV). In short, everything the Israelites gave to the craftsmen for the construction of the sanctuary came from the Egyptians!
It is much less difficult to give away what we have received as a gift. When we work for a wage, we often take that wage for granted and giving away part of it becomes a burden. But when we view our possessions as a gift, it is easier to be generous. So how do we develop our ability to be generous? By viewing what we have as a gift from God, not as a given. You receive a salary from your work, yes, but who gave you the ability to do that work? It was God, of course. Who opened the door to that job for you? It was God. Our heavenly Father uses that job to provide for our needs, but we know full well that He could use other means to provide for our needs. So we are not dependent on that job, we are dependent on God. Besides, in our job, we are not serving our employer, but God Himself, right? “with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:7-8 NKJV).
During our courtship, it is essential to develop the skill of being generous. We must be wise in our financial management, but wisdom does not mean withholding everything. Generous partners are much easier to be around than those who are stingy. And once married, generosity towards each other will also be one of the most powerful ways to stay united. It is financial problems that most often break up marriages. Learning to manage our assets well and to depend on God in this area is an essential asset to a future happy marriage.
In fact, God asks us to consider everything we have as a gift from Him so that we will have no difficulty in giving it back to Him in due time. If we take our marriage for granted, after all the efforts we have made to find a partner, we will have difficulty putting our marriage in God’s hands and serving Him with our partner. The same goes for our children, for all our life projects, and of course, for our ministry. If we believe that it is our efforts that have led us to be a good worship leader, we will keep the glory for ourselves. But if we recognize that our talent comes from God, that it is God who has allowed us to practice so much, we will have no difficulty in giving Him the glory.
How can we be generous? We do this by recognizing that everything we have comes from God.