February 26th Generosity Devotional

February 26, 2013

The Grace of Giving

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2 Corinthians 8:7

Are you a giving person?  Do you excel in the grace of giving? It’s an interesting question, isn’t it? I mean, how many people are willing to own up to being stingy or tightfisted?  Yet the world is filled with ungenerous people. I think this topic is worth considering as we reflect on the theme of overflow this month. After all, if Christ is filling us to overflow, the excess has to go someplace. As that overflow leaks out of our lives and over to others, it looks like giving to those on the outside. Overflow leads to giving.

For the past week I’ve been taking special notice of overflow in the lives of those around me and how I have benefitted.  Here are some of the things I saw:

• My eldest daughter taking some of her free time to go out and shoot archery with her 10 year-old brother instead of watching TV or conversing on Facebook
• Someone unexpectedly picking up my lunch tab at Panera’s in Gainesville
• Volunteers donating hours of time, furniture and expertise to design, paint, decorate and clean so that the beautiful new “Next Step” suite could open on time
• A friend stopping me in the hall to say that I looked distracted and ask if everything was all right
• A random stranger in the grocery store with a loaded cart inviting me to check out ahead of them with my milk and eggs
• An encouraging email from a church member who was blessed by something I wrote and took the time to affirm me
• My wife preparing and bringing me a hot cup of coffee… just because
• Three deacons showing up 1 hour 45 minutes early one Sunday morning to blow off the sidewalks for our congregation after a “dusting of snow”

And that is just a very few. I have been the recipient of so much overflow!  When I realize how blessed I am, it makes me want to be all-the-more generous with the many resources God has entrusted to me.  Take a minute today and reflect on how you have been blessed by the overflow of others!