Excessively Generous // Micah

One of the most under-discussed attributes of God is His generous nature. This is a shame as this quality is so deeply ingrained in His core that it overflows into His conduct and profusely floods out of every pore of His being.

Consider just four out of a million implied acts, in creation. When furnishing His beings with a pool to swim in, he did not stop with a pond but orchestrated springs, creeks, lakes, rivers and oceans of a billion hues. More waters than one could explore in 100 lifetimes. For food, He did not stop at bread but produced a thousand varieties of meat, vegetables, fruits, grains and sweets. If that were not enough, He placed in the anatomy of man an ability not only to mechanically process sustenance but to experience the wonder of taste in ways that electrify the buds. In the garden, He saw man needed help and went beyond engineering a robotic assistant by forming an entirely capable, equally enlightened and superiorly attractive mate. To cap it off, He turns to His crowning creation with a sigh after saying, "What I have created is good," (huge understatement) and He gave them dominion over it all with unbroken access to Him. Really, isn't that a bit excessive?

Consider the cross. The ones in creation that He gave the most unearned favor to, squandered the gift. They, and along with all mankind, rebelled against Him and traded His magnanimous entrustment for a piece of fruit and a lie. Man's act unleashed evil, death, and decay to all parts of this once utopian earth.  Justice called for a consequence of the highest order. Wrath had to be poured out against the evil that now tainted the once pure. But... God GAVE. Looking at the rebels awaiting judgment, bound in chains earned by their own treason, God was moved to act in an over the top excessively generous manner. In place of the guilty, He offered Himself on the altar of sacrifice. In Jesus, He took the wrath due the rebels and offered undeserved pardon, relational renewal, and an eternal inheritance. Are you kidding me? Who takes an enemy and forgives, adopts then incorporates them into their estate planning, one full of eternal riches in glory? No words.

The more I consider my Jesus and His calling for me to follow Him, to emulate Him, the more I am sure it is a call for me to be Excessively Generous.

"You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich." I Corinthians 8:9

"Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus." I Timothy 1:14

"The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers." Psalm 37:21

- Micah McElveen

Conduits not Dams // Micah

When a sink strainer functions properly, it allows the right elements to flow through in the appropriate volume. A rare issue occurs when a porous strainer neglects to do its job, completely mismanaging the flow. The more common problem, however, occurs when a strainer collects so much debris, it begins to function as a dam instead of a conduit. Conduits turned into dams result in costly floods with collateral damage.

So it is with the stewardship of wealth. Asceticism teaches that fulfillment, true life in God, is achieved through the denial of all earthly goods. Its counterpart, Materialism, tells adherents satisfaction is gained through the amassing of goods and wealth. Both extremes wreak havoc.

The biblical perspective is more nuanced, asserting that material goods in themselves are amoral (neither evil or righteous). Viewed in their proper context, earthly treasures are tools meant to be used for the good of man and glory of God. We are to function as stewards, wise conduits, not too unlike a good sink strainer.

Wealth, received gratefully and deployed skillfully, achieves layers of good. When seen as a gift from the Lord, it draws recipients near in praise. When seen as a means to assist man, it is used to meet needs in our lives and in the lives of others. When stewarded well it serves as a catalyst for Godward joy in the lives of all recipients.

"Command those who are rich in this world's goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous givers, sharing with others." I Timothy 6:17-18

- Micah McElveen