There are lots of reasons people don’t go to church. The songs are old-fashioned. The messages are out of touch. The people are hypocritical. Oh, and they ask for money – all the time!
But there was a time when people didn’t feel this way. In the earliest days of the Christian movement, people got together with fellow believers whenever they could. They loved being together, and they shared everything they had so no one was ever in need. The book of Acts in the New Testament says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…. All the believers were together and had everything in common” (Acts 2:42, 44).
The word “devoted” means to be dedicated or committed to something, and it implies an emotional motivation. Christians who understand what the Church really is are excited to be together, and they are happy to be able to share their time, talents, and financial resources with each other and for the work of the Church. They know they are part of something much bigger than themselves, something God is doing in the world through them.
Generosity is a natural response to gratitude, and Christians have much to be grateful for. We know the one true God who made us, loves us, and offers us salvation and an eternal relationship with him. Our loving response to God should include showing love and concern for all his creation. Throughout the history of the Church, Christians have been known for their generosity not only among themselves but to everyone around them, making the Church the most generous movement the world has ever known.
But sustained generosity requires a measure of faith as well. We have to remember God’s promise to take care of our needs so we can be free to give to others. We have to believe his plans for our lives are better than anything we could achieve for ourselves. We have to trust that our eternal future with God will be worth any sacrifices we make in this life.
God wants his people to be generous, showing both gratitude and faith. He wants us to support the work of a local church, to take care of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to do what we can to help others in need. When we do, we get a glimpse of God’s glory flowing through us, a small sample of the great glory to come.
So, remember these words from Isaiah 58:10 (NLT): “Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.”
