Generosity of Heart

"Thanks be to God for his Indescribable Gift!"   ~Paul~ II Corinthians 9:15

We talk a lot about gifts this time of year. We all know people who love to give. If we're lucky we are on their Christmas list! (Just kidding.) It's more than the gifts they give. I think people who love to give have a generosity of heart and spirit that we can see and feel. There's something joyous about them, whether their gifts are big or small. There's a feeling of openness and freedom, like they're not holding on so tightly. A generous heart is not just for some, however; it is what God longs to create in each of us. We're all supposed to be givers. Yes, I'm talking about money; I'm also talking about our spiritual gifts, our time, our talents. And there's more. "Give, and it will be given to you..." (Luke 6:38) is not a dangling carrot or a coercion on God's part as some would have us believe. It is a powerful statement of what happens inside of us when we give generously without regret or expectation. It is meant to open up our hearts. It puts us on a path to live larger with our arms open wider. It is a work of God in us, and it is good. The apostle Paul said, "God loves a cheerful giver." (II Cor. 9:7) But which comes first, the giving or the cheerfulness? And how can we be expected to have a giving heart when finances are tight and we're barely holding on as it is? One way to start is by practicing gratitude. You see, a generous heart is a grateful heart. They go hand in hand. We'll talk about that next time. God - at work in us,  Greg