URC Daily Devotion 23rd January 2019

Which is most challenging?

• To be generous in our judgements of others. Not to condemn or criticise – but instead making the effort to understand others and their different experience of the world.  The call to be inclusive, intercultural and intergenerational as followers of the Jesus requires such generosity of mind.
• To be generous in our forgiveness. Not holding onto hurt and offence.  The call to be ministers of reconciliation starts with valuing restoration of relationship in all areas of our lives.
• To be generous with our resources. Not saving for our own rainy day but attending to the immediate needs of others.  The call to follow Jesus unencumbered is perhaps most difficult for those of us who have much, like the rich young man.

I once cautioned my daughter against giving away all her saved pocket money to a cause that had moved her, suggesting she could give some, rather than all.  She confounded me by saying ‘it’s ok Mummy – I know I will be given more next week’. I was confronted with the reality that I do not live with the same measure of faith in God’s provision as she does in mine.

Generosity, Jesus tells us, is a mirror.  It reflects back on us. The measure we use is the measure we will receive.  We limit what we expect to be the generosity of others. When someone teaches us something or points out a problem or issue we have, do we receive this as a gift of generosity or as a put down, even an attack?

Thank God we can be saved from the meanness of our own minds, hearts and hands, by the overwhelming measure of generosity of God in Christ.  Freely we have received – now freely give.