Unleashing Generosity

There was a little boy who loved playing with his collection of marbles. One day as this little boy was playing, a little girl with a bunch of chocolates walks by. The little boy desperately wanted the chocolates and decides that he is going to trade his marbles for all of the girls chocolate. He tells her, “You can have all of my marbles, if you will give me all of your chocolates.” Secretly the little boy had hidden away one special blue marble that he deemed as his lucky marble and then proceeded to trade with the little girl. Happy with his trade the little boy begins to roll in his fingers the special blue marble he had hidden in his pocket. Suddenly a thought came to the little boy’s mind. He stops the little girl as she is walking away and asks her, “Are you sure you gave me all of your chocolates?”

Generosity is not about what we give but is rather a practice that takes place in our mind before we ever give of something physically. In the story the little boy’s trade may have seemed generous, but in reality he was only willing to give for what benefited him. Our fallen nature persuades us to position ourselves in the same deceptive and selfish attitude as the little boy.

In the gospels we hear stories about how the disciples argued among themselves which one is the greatest, fighting to position themselves. In the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Mark we can read one such story:

An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then [Jesus] said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.” - Mark 9:46-48

Jesus knew their thoughts and how in their minds they were not practicing generosity of spirit. To demonstrate this he presented to them a child. Where some might view children as small, annoying, insignificant, or weak, Jesus has made it abundantly clear that children have a mighty role to play in the kingdom of God. Generously welcoming a child demonstrates the greatest of humility and desire to welcome the kingdom of God. We want everything the kingdom of God has to offer, but we are unwilling to give up everything for it.

Join us this Sunday at 8:30 and 10:45 AM as we begin a new sermon series called “Unleashing Generosity”. May we become as generous in heart, mind, and soul as our generous God is.

In God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church