For me, what lies at the heart of this question is generosity. That can take many forms. Some people are generous with their time and will drop things mid-project to help someone in need. Others are generous with their belongings and you know who you can go to if you need to borrow a tool, a car, or a vacation house. Still others with their talents and are willing to teach you any skill they possess from HTML coding or training for a marathon to gator hunting. Yes, there are those who are generous with their money. They'll help a person in need and it's as much a blessing for the giver as it is the receiver.
When it comes to being rich towards God, I believe that it has to do with remembering that everything you have, including your life itself, belongs to Him. That forces me to ask if I am making everything available to Him.
Am I willing to help someone repair their home? Am I available to to be a cycling or running coach to someone who struggles with exercise? Will I step out and tutor someone trying to make sense of math or science? Do I hold back if there is a need to provide meals? Am I willing to give money for the benefit of the Kingdom or one of its members? Is my life available should God ask me to pick up and go somewhere else on His behalf?
Honestly, some of these answers are easier than others for me. I'm good at making excuses. As I've been told, I have a B.S. in B.S.. From my heart, consistently giving to the church is a not only a form of worship, it's also a reminder that all areas of my life need to be made available. It's an area that's difficult for me though and I'm thankful that my Bride is able to keep me accountable.
Is it possible to be generous towards God without involving your pocketbook? Sure, God can do anything. It's possible to have your entire life available to Him and money not be something He requires of you during some season - but it would extremely rare. If you think you're in that boat, I'd encourage to really dig deep and get with a trusted elder or pastor to examine that.
For most of us, opening our wallets to be generous is the hardest part of worship. When we do it consistently though, our act of worship keeps the flow of availability open. It's much easier to develop a generous heart towards God when there's a least a trickle there to work with. If we show ourselves to be faithful with what we have, perhaps we can be trusted with the resources to have the flood of generosity that we hope for.
Luke 12:13-21 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Interested in hearing Pastor Dave Martin's sermon on this text?
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