My only Hope

The Blessings of Generosity

One tremendous truth we have learned in the book of Philippians is that God desires for us to be joyful. In fact, He even commands us to come before Him in joyful singing (Psalm 100:2). Hence, nothing is farther from the truth than the belief that God is a cosmic KJ. Many do not truly know God and seek for joy in all the wrong places. The reality is that our joy can never be full apart from God because the foundation of joy is knowing that we can depend on God to take care of us. Paul affirms, “… my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). In essence, this verse tells us that happiness and giving are inseparable. The secret of joy is giving and the secret of giving is knowing who our Provider is. Indeed, God promises to supply ALL our needs. For this very reason, we would want to give and when we give, we:

1. Bless the RECIPIENTS

Oftentimes, God uses us to provide for the needs of His people. One of the best Biblical examples of this is found in Philippians 4:14-17. Paul was blessed by the generosity of the Philippians as he struggled on his journey to spread the Gospel. Although Paul did not depend on people, he knew God supplied his needs through them and he was grateful for their gifts. In the same manner, we must acknowledge that when we give, we allow God to use us to provide for those in need and thereby bless the recipients.

2. Bless OURSELVES

Yet, the blessing does not stop there. Instead, it multiplies and blesses the giver in return. This is called the ripple effect. Paul points out, “Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.” (Philippians 4:17). Paul understood that giving not only benefits the recipient but the giver as well. In God’s economy, this is called the ‘Kingdom Divine Laws’, where the rules are reversed. Jesus tells us, “If you want to receive, you give.” We see this law at work in Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” However much we choose to give, we will receive such in the same measure. And when we choose to give a lot, God promises to bless us so much that it will overflow, run over and even pour unto our laps. Unfortunately, many of us have not experienced this kind of overflowing blessing because we have not been giving, and this is not because we are stingy or greedy. Our problem is that we are afraid about what might happen to us if we give too much. We doubt God and the truth of His promise. It is a sin of unbelief which can only be overcome by taking a leap of faith. If we want to experience overwhelming blessings, we must heed God’s call to give generously.

3. Bless GOD

Thirdly, when we give, we do not only bless the recipient and ourselves but more importantly, we please the Lord. Paul avers, “But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” (Philippians 4:18). The Bible tells us that giving is an act of worship. Whenever we give generously, a record is kept and God remembers. Although God does not need our money for He owns everything, He is always pleased when we give from the heart. It is not even the amount that matters for God looks at our motives. Our spending habit is always a spiritual decision because it is not our money but God’s.

To be able to give generously, we have to change our mindset and trust that God always has our best interest at heart. When God says He will supply all our needs, He means ALL our needs - physical, emotional and spiritual. And who knows best what we need but God? Therefore, even when we encounter adversity and trials, we can count on the wisdom of God that they are part of our needs and that He will speak to us through them.

Finally, when claiming God’s promise, we should bear in mind that there is a condition. The verse says God will supply all our needs, “according to His riches in glory IN Christ Jesus.” The question, therefore, to ask is, “Are we in Christ?” The meaning of being IN Christ is depending on Jesus and Jesus alone for our salvation. Good works is a by-product, giving is always a by-product. Ultimately, it is all about the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

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