What Do Generous People Look Like?

By Jeff Cranston

“There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. “ – Proverbs 11:24-25, NASB

Last year in central New Jersey, Greg Dailey was keeping up with his regular newspaper route when an elderly customer stopped him. She’d been having some trouble getting to the bottom of her driveway each morning for the paper, and she asked him if he would mind pulling up to her garage and throwing it a bit closer to her house?

He obliged, of course. And if this customer was having trouble getting to the sidewalk for her paper, Greg realized, how was she getting her essentials under COVID quarantine conditions?

The next day, Greg included a note in each newspaper on his route: “My name is Greg Dailey, and I deliver your newspaper every morning. I would like to offer my services—free of charge—to anyone who needs groceries.” Since then, Greg has carefully placed groceries and the morning paper on the doorsteps of more than 100 elderly citizens on his route.

What Do Generous People Look Like? | LowCountry Community Church | Bluffton, S.C.

Among the central themes of the Bible is generosity. And as we see again and again, the Bible is not simply a historic volume; it’s living, vibrant and relevant to our lives. So, the Bible’s principles of stewardship are actually inspiring generous giving in our world today.

Last year, I read “Ten Examples of Generosity in the Bible,” an article written by Timothy Smith, chief development officer at the Museum of the Bible, in Washington, D.C. I’d like to share four of his observations of what generous people look like.

1. Generous people give when the need is not met by anyone or anything else.

In Philippians 4:15-16, the apostle Paul laments the lack of response from the churches he’s encountered. “Not one church shared with me,” he says. “Only you”—the Christians at Philippi. Even when he was ministering to others, far away, in Thessalonica, the Philippians were giving to his ministry!

Generous people like being part of something greater than themselves; they enjoy being part of a larger giving community. Something special happens inside of us when we know that we’re not the only ones giving. It’s satisfying, maybe even comforting or reassuring, to know that you’re one of many giving toward a project.

And yet, sometimes, we are called upon as generous people to give even when no one else is or will. And in Paul’s situation, the giving was only coming from one source—the Philippian church. The other churches that he founded ignored his needs. But not the Philippian believers. They stood by Paul, gave generously and willingly—even when they were the only ones.

The day may come when you find yourself in that position too: You look around, and no one else is giving; but something inside you says, “Go for it.” Smith writes, “Your personal impact can be enormous. And your personal journey can be beautifully enriched for the experience.”

2. Generous people give in response to a great cause.

In 2 Corinthians 8-9, we see the Corinthian church giving faithfully to help a community of people they have never met!

Darlene and I sponsor a little girl who lives in Kenya. We found out about her here at LowCountry Community Church. LCC supports Compassion International, and if you’ve been here for a while, you know there are times when one of their representatives comes here and tells the stories of children from all over the globe. We picked up Roshana’s packet. We’ve never met her; it’s likely we never will. But we have a picture of her, and we know she’s receiving good care, food, clothing and education. We believe any child is a great cause.

3. Generous people give more than just their money.

In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells the story of a man who was beaten, robbed and left for dead by the roadside. A priest and a Levite ignored the man’s plight. Then along came the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan man didn’t just throw some money at an organization or a cause. He invested himself by generously giving of his time, his resources and his skill to meet the needs of a stranger.

“Volunteering with an organization you’re passionate about is a great way to find a deeper connection to the cause, “ writes Smith. “And sometimes—as in the story of the Good Samaritan—the opportunity is right there in front of you, without your having to search for it. Jump in with whatever you should give—money, time, skills—and see what God will do both in you and through you.”

4. Generous people give to see the impossible become possible.

In Matthew 14:14-21, a young boy offers Jesus his meager lunch. He only had a few loaves and some fish, and Jesus had at least 5,000 mouths to feed. But gifts in God’s hands can be—and often are—divinely multiplied to meet the demands of greater works.

This is one of the greatest-ever giving stories, a beautiful picture of the faith to see something profound happen because of your gifts. One boy’s faith is what set in motion the amazing miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000.

How generous are you? And how are you generous? These are questions worth examining. The more generous you are, and the more ways you are generous, the richer you become!

Jeff Cranston is lead pastor of LowCountry Community Church in Bluffton, S.C.