Characteristic Eight of a Believer Generous

While reading Suzi Eller’s blog in 2015 during her Mended Heart Bible study, a woman requests a book. The Holy Spirits tugs at my heart, “send her the book”. I’m new to online bible studies and had not really left comments before but I found myself typing a comment to this young woman. I told her I would be happy to send her the book. We became friends, I mentored her for a while and now she’s in leadership with Proverbs 31.org. Since then I’ve started a ministry of giving away Christian books to women.

Beloved, the eighth characteristic of a born-again believer is that one is generous. A generous person the definition is showing a readiness to give more of something, as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected. Generosity is on the mind of Jesus’ mother when she discovers that there’s no wine at the wedding at Cana. She goes to her son and asks him to fix this problem as she didn’t want there to be an embarrassment on the behalf of the bride’s family. Generosity is on the mind of the Good Samaritan when he arranges for care for the man he finds beaten alongside the road.

Beloved, what does it look like to be generous? Perhaps it is buying a book and giving it away, perhaps it is working in a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving. I carry water in my car for the homeless. During the Christmas season, I’ve gift cards to Subway, Burger King, etc to give to the homeless. Being generous involves listening and being willing to help.

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Beloved, the eighth characteristic of a born-again believer is generosity. What ways can you add generosity in your life?

Jesus performed his first miracle and the report was that the wine was the best. The Good Samaritan cares for the man at the side of the road until he is well with no expectation of being paid back. Beloved, we can not out give God. When we invest in generosity today it is an investment in eternity.

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Father God, thank you for giving me a generous nature, thank you for my mom and grandma that taught me to be generous. Lord, I pray for the woman who may be homeless let her know that kindness to others leads to generosity. Would you be her strength and hope today? I pray for the woman who has trouble with being generous to soften her heart and I pray for a woman like me that is generous to a fault let her have good boundaries. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

I love my ministry of giving books away. There are no strings attached. God is good. Will you be more generous today?

As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. 2 Corinthians 9:13

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This post is part of a 31 day series on the Characteristics of a Believer. I am so glad that you are here. To read all of the posts in this series, click here.