“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’” (Matthew 25:40)
Where I live in Chicago, you come across a lot of less fortunate people. Each time I see someone, I’m moved with compassion. While I can’t help everyone, I try to help when I can.
In these last few weeks we’ve taken a look at several characteristics of a generous heart. A generous heart isn’t in it for the recognition. A generous heart isn’t in it for praise. A generous heart isn’t in it for man’s glory. A generous heart pounds for God’s glory.
One of the most frequently referenced topics in the Bible is money and how to steward it. Jesus taught on it frequently. In a classic parable, Jesus talks about separating the goats (representing the unrighteous) and the sheep (representing the righteous). The difference? Jesus explains to the righteous: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matt 25:35-36).
And while the people weren’t aware they even did these things, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). Throughout Scripture we see this intermingling of loving God and loving others.
Like we said before, God isn’t concerned about the externals, He’s concerned about the posture of your heart. A generous heart pounds for God’s glory. And that means being generous for His sake, not for anyone else’s.
So next time you see someone who finds themselves homeless and on the street, are you going to walk right by them, trying not to make eye contact, or might that be an opportunity to share the love of Christ? Or, next time a friend of yours has a need, will you be willing to help out? Acts of generosity like this show the love of Christ and the power of the gospel.
While we can’t help every person we come across, what would our lives look like if we lived more generously than we thought we were able, leaning on the Spirit? My guess would be a life that lives for God’s glory.