Be generous enough to kill

Each person should do as he has decided in his heart, not out of regret or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

During a recent time of prayer, I gained a little more insight into a phrase that has been rattling around in my mind for some time:  “The world’s business system is based on buying and selling, but the kingdom of God is based on giving and receiving.”

Why is it especially important for businesspeople to be generous? I believe that part of the answer lies in this truth: to be effective against the motivations of this world, we must secure victory over getting things for ourselves. Stated a little differently, to have spiritual authority in the marketplace, we must not be under the authority of money. Put yet another way, Mammon (which means greed deified) rules the marketplace, and the marketplace must be tackled in the opposite spirit to Mammon (namely, outrageous generosity).

Scripture tells us all to be generous and that, if we want to be in the business of growing the kingdom, generosity is part of our readying for battle. We cannot enter the battlefield of reclaiming the marketplace with chinks in our armor. Absence of generosity will put holes in our armor. Generous giving will build spiritual authority. We don’t give just because there are needs out there: we give because there are needs in here, in our own lives. We give of necessity so that we don’t arrive at the battlefront and find that the enemy is within. Be generous enough to kill that which is counter to the kingdom.

Reflections

• Is giving a lifestyle, or a periodic decision?
  
  
• What steps can one take to kill our resistance to give?