God withholds nothing from us. As we are conformed into his image, we grow in our Triune God-echoing generosity. When we give, we display the very character of Christ to the world. We, ambassadors of this strangely generous King, display his category-defying generosity in our own generosity. 

Why do we give? The first hit when you Google “why should I be generous?” is this article which lays out four reasons:

1)      Giving frees you from the “burden of materialism”

2)      Giving helps you “to feel better about yourself”

3)      Giving makes you less self-centered

4)      Giving helps make people like you.

Do you find those reasons compelling? Two of them (1 &3) have echoes of biblical truth in them. But 2 & 4 are shockingly empty reasons.

Paul also has four reasons for giving: none of which overlap with this list. Here is Paul’s list:

1)      Give because giving is a grace

2)      Give because it proves your love of Jesus

3)      Give because Jesus first gave

4)      Give because you will be blessed.

Give Because Jesus Gave

Today we arrive at the third reason on that list: give because Jesus first gave. Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 8:9:

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that thought he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

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