“The Christian Wallet: Generosity” Proverbs 11: 24-25 Luke 6: 27-28

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior and make a commitment to follow him, what changes? If we are honest, everything should change, right? Our mission statements as United Methodists is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Jesus can transform the world. Jesus can transform us. In fact, Jesus can transform all of us. 

But here’s the thing. We have to be willing to let Jesus transform us. We have to be willing to surrender. And yet, for a lot of folks who have given their hearts to Jesus, they haven’t given their lives to him yet. There are things that the hold back. Things that they cannot surrender yet.

John Wesley understood how difficult it was for folks to surrender their all to Christ, so he penned something known as the Wesley covenant prayer. Usually we pray it once a year, near the beginning of the new calendar year, but it was really meant to be used so much more often than that. I would dare to say it was intended to be prayed daily. Here are some of its words, "I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt…Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.”

Powerful words. 

We are now in the season of stewardship in many local churches. A time of harvest and bounty. A time of reflection. But even though this stewardship sermon series is entitled The Christian Wallet, its about so much more than that. It’s about asking Jesus anew to be lord of our lives. Everything. Including our wallet. Including any other areas that we aren’t quite comfortable yielding to God. 

The dictionary defines generosity in a lot of different ways, but two definitions in particular stick out to me. One of which we probably think about. One of which we may not. The first way that generosity is defined is as a readiness or liberality in giving. In other words do we want to give? Are we ready to give? And do we give?

At first blush we may think they are the same questions, but they really aren’t. Do we want to give? This is a matter of the heart. Do we desire to give everything to Jesus, including our time? Or our money? Or what we hold on to the most? Just as we once had to make the decision to give our hearts to Jesus - to ask him to be our savior - we also have to make the choice about whether we want to give. Jesus is not going to come and take it from us. He wants us to freely offer it for his use and his Kingdom. 

Think back to the story of the Rich Young ruler. This story is told in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In the 19th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, this young man comes to Jesus and asks what he needs to do in order to have eternal life. Jesus starts by telling him that he needs to follow the commandments, but then when the young man starts to get excited because he has been able to keep the rules, Jesus tells him that he needs to sell his possessions and give the money to the poor, and then come and follow Jesus. 

And what does the scripture say? The man went away grieving because he had many possessions.

The young man didn’t really want to give. It was too hard. Too much. Too radical. He didn’t have the desire to follow if that was the cost.

But the way of Jesus is always radical because it is always life changing. 

The second questions we need to ask is are we ready to give. In other words you may want to give, but are you in a position where you can give. Mike Slaughter in his book that bears the same title as this sermon series had some really interesting statistics when it comes to generosity. On average Americans give about 3.6 percent of their income to charities. Those who identify as Christians give about 2.5 percent of their income to the church. And only about 10-25 percent of the average congregation tithe, or give ten percent of their income. Which led Rev. Slaughter to ask why folks don’t tithe. And wouldn’t you know there are statistics on that as well. When Christians were asked why they don’t tithe the top three reasons given where: they couldn’t afford it, they had too much debt, or their spouse didn’t agree with tithing.

Reason one and two are what I call willing but not able. These folks want to be generous, but their money is tied up in ways that prohibit this from happening. 

But when are willing and able to give, do we give? Our scripture from Proverbs this morning says that some give freely and that others withhold, but a generous person will be enriched. I love how the Message paraphrases this: “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped”

Now we certainly do not give because of what we get in return, but there is something about a generous person that does make others want to pour out their hearts to them as well. Folks who are generous with their time often find others that are willing to help them in an hour of need. There is something about them that shines forth the light.

Which brings us to our second, and perhaps even more radical definition of generosity, freedom from meanness or smallness of mind or character. Here’s the thing about generosity, friends, it says what we value without having to say a single thing. Why does generosity breed generosity, because it is a light that goes forth and cannot be hidden, attracting people unto it. 

Especially in a world where we seem to be taught from an early age that it is about me and mine first. Especially in a world that is caught up in the endless cycle of producing and consuming. The ways that we are generous say what is important to us. 

In the Gospel of Luke in the sixth chapter, we find this passage that calls us to this type of generosity. A generosity we may have never considered before. Jesus is teaching his disciples and says to them, I know that you have heard that you are to love the people who are easy to love, those who do good to you, and hate those who hate you. But that’s the old way of doing things. The new order says bless even those who hate you and pray for those who abuse you.

Does that give you chills, Church?

That as the people of God Jesus is calling us to a whole new way of living that is based on Kingdom values. God’s values. That say people matter. Even the people we have dismissed before. Even those who are really hard to love, let alone like. Even those who are cruel to us. We are still generous to them - giving of ourselves and of our prayers, because they matter to God.

That friends, is radical generosity.

But it’s also the type of generosity that can be hard to surrender to at times.

Here’s the thing church - there are a lot of folks who are fans of Jesus. Maybe even folks who have given their hearts to him. But what Biblical generosity calls us to be is more than a fan. It asks that we become followers of Jesus. That we give our very lives to him. Are you willing to go wherever Jesus may lead, even with what matters the most to you? Amen.