'generosity' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice. For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.” vss. 5-6 Psalm 112:1-9 Life goes well with people who are righteous and generous; their love of justice and mercy will be remembered forever. That’s the way it’s always been, the psalmist assures us, and that’s the way it will always be. Some would call this ancient observation a universal truth, a…
Daily Devotions
May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.” vs. 4 Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 As the new king ascended the throne in Israel, the psalmist gave voice to the hopes of the people. They had an agenda, and they didn’t have in mind more palaces for the royal family or tax advantages for the rich. The people of Israel yearned for a king who would defend the cause of…
Daily Devotions
Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us.” vs. 6 2 Thessalonians 3:6-9 Even though followers of Jesus are called by grace and live by grace, they are generally seriously upset by those who sit idly by and allow others to do all the work. It’s one of the by-products of living in community.…
Daily Devotions
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” vs. 17 1 Timothy 6:13-19 We should not imagine that all of the followers of Jesus were poor people. Just as in our time, people from all walks of life were attracted to him and to his message, and he loved…
Daily Devotions
Alas for those who are at ease in Zion, and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria…who lounge on their couches…who drink wine from bowls…but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!” vss 4a, 5a, 6a, 7b Amos 6:1a, 4-7 Amos broadens his scathing critique of Israel to include the leaders of Judah, and sees nothing but disaster for their respective nations. The leading families are living in the lap of luxury and sparing no expense in the…
Daily Devotions
But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” vss. 13-14 Luke 14:12-14 Most of us take pains to maintain a kind of social equilibrium in our relationships. We track the interactions that we have with our friends and relatives and make sure that they don’t become one-sided. No matter what it…
Daily Devotions
Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’” vs. 13 Luke 12:13-15 There’s nothing that stirs up a family more than the division of an estate after a death has taken place. Ill feelings abound, attorneys are hired, and final disposition of lawsuits may take years to be settled. Even when a will exists and the intentions of the deceased seem crystal clear, family members end up at odds with…
Daily Devotions
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” vs. 8 John 12:4-8 Judas had weighed in on Mary’s extravagance by cynically suggesting that it would have been better to sell the perfume and give the money to the poor. But Jesus doesn’t bite. Instead he suggests that the poor will always be hanging around, but that his own time is limited. Ironically his words are often repeated by people who see no point in…
Daily Devotions
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” vs. 3 John 12:1-3 Mary had gotten her brother, Lazarus, back from the realm of the dead, and her deep anguish had been replaced with overwhelming gratitude. When Jesus came to visit and reclined at her table for dinner, she anointed his feet with costly perfume and wiped them with…
Daily Devotions
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.” vs. 6 Psalm 16:1-6 The people of God don’t always live in misery and poverty–sometimes things go pretty well for us. It may even be that we are embarrassed when others ask how we are doing. We have no health issues and our genetic inheritance has ensured that we are free from the aches and pains that afflict so many. We’ve been able to live…
Daily Devotions
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’’ vs. 21 Mark 10:17-22 The man was at a crisis point, and probably surprised to find himself there. He’d lived a good life, exemplary even, and had reaped the blessings of hard work and enterprise. He was likely envied by most of his peers–yet something…
Daily Devotions
Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.” vs. 7 2 Corinthians 8:7-11 There had been a massive famine in the area of Jerusalem and the Jewish Christians there were struggling mightily. When Paul heard he launched a massive disaster response effort in the congregations he had started. Instructions were sent out to gather a collection that could…