My Pocket Oxford Dictionary says the word generous means: noble minded, free in giving, rich and full, and some words that do not concern us here. The Contemporary English Version of the Bible translates it as “generosity will be rewarded”. The King James Version translates it quite literally as “the liberal soul shall be made fat”, while the Easy Translation gives it as, “if you help other people with your money, you will do well”.

 

If I understand it correctly, a generous person is friendly, hearty, free in giving and helpful – somebody who does not begrudge other people anything. It is somebody who likes to bless other people and who likes to see them move forward in life. Where am I on the scale of generosity? It is not always so easy to judge.

 

We all have an image of ourselves. We like to see ourselves as a generous person in the full sense of the word. In many instances it’s true, but unfortunately, not always. Nobody is friendly or helpful at all times and certainly not free in giving. Although we would never admit it, even to ourselves, we sometimes begrudge other people what they have, or what they or their children have achieved in life.

 

Look at what we miss out on by being a bit unfriendly, jealous or envious. The proverb tells us very clearly that a generous person will reap the benefits and become “prosperous”. Furthermore, “help others and you will be helped”. One of the most rewarding church visits to me was at a small rural church. A man with long dreadlocks, who was obviously not prosperous in worldly possessions, was sitting in a pew with his old brown dog lying at his feet. After the service, each of us received tea, and a plate with some cookies and savoury biscuits. He fed his old dog half of every cookie and biscuit.

 

I am sure that of all the people in the church that morning, he enjoyed the food more than anyone else and was the most blessed of us all for sharing it with his old companion.

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please make me a generous person, so that people will see you in what I do. Amen