My wife waited tables in college. As the only Christ-follower on staff, she was constantly trying to share and show Christ to her fellow employees. Soon, she found her challenge was intensified by Sundays, as the worst tip window of the week was created by church goers out for lunch. They were consistently the stingiest bunch, and no staff wanted to serve them. This deeply bothered my bride and put an obstacle in the way to her evangelism efforts. Why? Because one of God's most prominent yet ignored traits, His generosity, was not being reflected by His people. God's intrinsic generosity instructs His constant and magnanimous gestures. God is a generous giver.
Creation is God granting life to all, while uniquely gifting man with His image. Salvation is God giving His only Son for the sake of mankind, the very ones who betrayed Him. Material blessing is God endowing humanity with resource to thrive, and in turn act out His character before men. In scripture, explicit references to God's generous character are only out done by implicit examples in which He walks the talk.
Whether it is time to tip the waiter, fill the offering plate, or draft our budgets, we must remember that He who calls us to give has given much to us. May we seize every opportunity to show and share the grace of Christ who is Himself generous to the Core.
"God created humankind in His OWN IMAGE, in the image of God He created them male and female He created them. God BLESSED them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply..." -Creation, Genesis 1:27-28a
"For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only Son that whosoever believes in His should not perish but have everlasting life." -Salvation, John 3:16
"You are the SOURCE OF WEALTH, you rule over all. You posses strength and might to magnify and GIVE strength to all... But who am I and who are my people that we should be in a position to contribute this much? Indeed, everything comes from you, and we have simply given back to you what is yours." -Material Blessing, 1 Chronicles 29:12&14
- Micah McElveen