Slaying Dragons: Greed — Friday
2 Corinthians 9:7-8
You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. (NLT)
We’ve talked this week about how greed can trip us up. How sneaky it can be. How even when we intend good things, they can become destructive if we’re not on guard. We’ve talked about contentment and what living richly can really look like. But what can you and I practically do to chase after God and live the way He’s called us to live—being on guard against the things the world tells us are more important, and against idolatry? How do we move toward godly wealth?
First, we have to be willing to let God examine our hearts. Let Him identify where we’re prideful or where we’ve let money or achievements or things sit on the throne that He rightly deserves. This is painful. Trust me, I know. I have been through seasons of “pruning” when the Lord roots out the bad, and I realize how truly broken I am because of sin. But it’s always, ALWAYS worth it. If you haven’t already, take a moment and ask Him to reveal and remove anything in your life that is trying to take His place.
Second, I’d encourage you to live generously. You may have been blessed with financial wealth. What does it look like to bless others with that? To use what God has given you to take care of a family in need, or provide dinner for someone sitting alone at a restaurant, or tithe in excess of what God asks, or always have gift cards on hand for someone who might need a little help? Maybe you’ve been blessed with the gift of hospitality. What does it look like to be generous and invite folks into your home, to make them feel welcome, to provide a respite or a meal for them? Maybe God has given you an abundance of wisdom. What does it look like to advise those coming up behind you, to invest in their well-being, to walk alongside them as they experience something you’ve already been through and learned from?
There are so many ways to be generous, and many of them don’t require money. They just require you to evaluate what God has given you and steward that well by using it to serve others. If you don’t know where to start, serving on one of our volunteer teams is a great place to begin. Giving your time and/or talents is an incredible way to worship God and live generously for others.
Third, pray for opportunities to serve those around you. God will be faithful to provide those, and not only will you be a blessing to those around you, but—believe me—you will be blessed as well. Let’s be a church of generosity—not simply because we have so much, but because we are faithful to give what we have, however big or small that may be.
Friday’s Reflection
Take a few moments to walk through the steps above, and then find ways to be generous with what you have this week. Pray for Jesus to show you what He desires for this world and to allow you to be a part of it.