At Ocean Church, our core value is simple: We Give Generously. In 2 Corinthians 8:7, Paul challenges us to excel in the “grace of giving” just as we excel in faith and speech.
Naturally, humans are stingy. We are like kids at a birthday party when a piñata breaks—our instinct is to “grab, grab, grab” for ourselves. But giving is a fruit of grace. When God’s grace touches our hearts, it pries our fingers open and moves us from hoarding to sharing.
I want to be clear: God is not broke, and He doesn’t need your money. He is after your heart , because how we handle finances is a reliable indicator of our spiritual condition.
The Macedonian church showed us that true giving is an overflow of joy and a sacrificial privilege. Despite their extreme poverty, they actually begged for the chance to give. To excel like them, we must:
- Give as Worship: Like the Wise Men, we open our treasures to honor Him.
- Give Cheerfully: If you are grumbling, honestly, just keep your lunch money! God loves a cheerful giver.
- Give in Faith: Hoarding reveals fear. When we trust the Lord is our Shepherd, we don’t fear loss.
- Give Consistently: Generosity is a lifestyle we must train for, not a one-time event.
Ultimately, we give to look like Jesus, who became poor so that through His poverty, we might become rich.
Let’s not love with words only, but with actions and in truth.
