Wifi, Air-conditioning and Generosity

I John 3:16-18 - By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Currently my family is living at the hand of the generosity of others...
Literally, our housing, some of our meals, our laundry services, the care of our dog, even wifi, Air conditioning and tv... we are experiencing at the hand and wallet of someone else... and it is so humbling to be receiving at the expense and somewhat inconvenience of someone else. It feels wonderful and awkward and overwhelming and so very kind. 

This generosity is coming from people who know what it's like to be displaced. Hurricane Harvey ravished this area and most people we are getting to know have been impacted. These are people who even 9 months later are still recovering, cleaning, helping and rebuilding. These aren't people who have recovered completely. They are just making available what they have to help others. 

It's a picture perfect example of how God's Word teaches us to be generous. God was generous in His gift of salvation, various churches we're generous to Paul, the widow was generous with her mite...once we realize what we've been given spiritually, we can't help but overflow with generosity. 

Over and over we see the lessons of generosity taught in scripture. And it's not just in material things... we are to be generous in our forgiveness, in our love, in our encouraging words. We are to be overly kind and understanding and helpful.

And in contrast we are to be slow to wrath and anger and harsh words. Slow to speaking our minds. We are to rethink criticism and listen twice and much as we speak. Negative words carry a heavy weight and we need to think before we attack.

The generous person has learned to give as part of their nature. They don't sit around calculating the cost of their generosity. They give without giving it a second thought. 

I'm thankful we serve a generous God and I'm thankful for the generous people that through the years have blessed me and my family. The Biblical art of generosity is slowly fading with the rise of the "me first" attitude, But as we study God's Word and learn to be more like Him we can become more generous with our words, kind deeds, financial giving and helping those in need. ----Even if that just means sharing your wifi with the preacher's wife.

Lack and the Liberal Giver

James 1:5-8
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Wisdom...
I'm not sure there's a person on the face of the earth that doesn't think theyneed a little more wisdom. We are always looking for answers to questions we don't know the solution to or the remedy for. We ask our friends, our spouse, Google, Siri, our lawyer, our doctor, our therapist and sometimes we ask God. 

Asking God for answers to our questions, or for wisdom to handle our lives is not only good, but James tells us it's a sure fire way to hear from God because if we ask in faith, believing He will
give us wisdom, He will.

And the way He gives....is generous. He gives abundantly, liberally. And he doesn't remind you of all the times you didn't ask Him, and failed. 

But there is a hitch... we have to ask in faith... believing he will give us the exact wisdom we need, at the time we need it. This isn't some charismatic movement, it's not being lucky,
it's not having a bright idea or anything of ourselves. It's divine wisdom. It's having faith in an all knowing God, who knows the beginning and the end of every life circumstance you will encounter. 

His wisdom cannot be wrong. And in the situations when things are heavy and important and absolutely necessary that you make the right choice, He says come, ask me, I will give you the wisdom you need to face this day, this problem, this difficult decision. 

What a kind, trustworthy and generous Father!