Feb 16 – GENEROSITY !

“But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand” (Isaiah 32: 8).

Generosity is the character of giving liberally, out of a loving heart. And every child of God, should possess this quality.

This quality or nature is found even among species, other than human. Trees give out their fruit freely. Whatever is the size of population, vegetation is ready to provide food to all of them. Hens give out their eggs abundantly, on a daily basis. Fishes of the sea, are also favourite food of humans. When species other than human, are capable of being so generous, how much more generous should we be as humans? Are you not the children of the most generous Lord Jesus Christ?

Jesus asked: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?” (Mathew 20: 15). In other words, He is asking us, whether we should be so stingy, when He is so benevolent. There is none who is as generous as Jesus. He is so magnanimous that he paid the full day’s wages to even those who worked only one hour in the field. He is the One who provided abundantly to all the people by blessing five loaves of bread and two fish. He is so bountiful to give rain on the good and the evil.

Lord Jesus said: “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most-High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil” (Luke 6: 35).

Look at the life of Joseph. He was so generous. His own brothers were against him, put him down in a pit and sold him off as a slave to the merchants.

But when Joseph was lifted up, he revealed only his kindness and generosity to his brothers. He filled the sacks of his brothers with grain and restored every man’s money to his sack (Genesis 42: 25). Even after the death of his father, he treated his brothers with kindness. He gave the fertile lands to dwell and kept them with him to sustain them.

When Joseph could be so generous, how much more benevolent you should be – you, who are the inheritors of the heavenly love of Calvary! Children of God, be kind hearted toward the poor and give to them generously. And the Lord will give you back a thousand-fold.

Verse for further meditation: “The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (Deuteronomy 28: 12).