By: Jarren Rogers

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” – John Wesley

It’s February and Christmas already seems far, far behind us. January always feels like such a weird month. As soon as the ball drops and clocks move from 11:59 to 12:00 on New Year’s it’s as if someone crammed all of the Christmas cheer into a time capsule, buried deep below the surface of the Earth, and placed a sign to mark the spot that says: DO NOT OPEN UNTIL DECEMBER 2019.

The malls are empty, the anticipation is over, the parents limp back to work and the kids lumber back to school. It seems as if we lose something every year after Christmas is over.

One thing that always says Christmas to me is generosity. Everyone is so generous during Christmas time. We buy each other gifts, take each other out to lunch, give to charity. I remember, when I worked at Toys R Us, we would have multiple people each Christmas come into the store and offer to buy other people’s layaways.  Christmas time always brings generosity.

But, along with Christmas cheer, generosity is too often shoved into the time capsule and buried come January. The problem is that generosity is something we are called to do year-round.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).

God blesses the cheerful giver. According to this verse, those who sow generosity are sure to receive generosity in return. If you are going to give, give cheerfully! Give with a smile on your face rather than a clutching fist.

Giving is something that is decided in the heart. I believe what this means is that giving should be prompted by the Holy Spirit. We should be attuned to the Spirit’s prompting when we decide whether to give. Giving is not decided in the head or in the checkbook, but rather it is decided in the heart.

The greatest thing about being generous is that we don’t get the glory:

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11).

Our generosity always results in God getting the glory and the praise. God can use our generosity to help His people and build His Kingdom. You will never know the full implications of your generosity or the number of lives it touched.

Parents: Explain to your children the importance of being generous.