Catechism: Prayer & Worship - ReflectionSample

Being Generous Is Worship. As we’ve been discussing, our acts of worship are reflections of who God has created us to be—reflections of his character. And he is a generous Father!

There’s something powerful about generosity. When a person is willing to freely give to God or to someone else, they’re displaying that what matters most is to love and to bless God and others.

In Acts 20, the Apostle Paul repeats the words of Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” So when our heart is generous, and we give of what we have, it is an act of worship; we’re blessed and the heart of God is blessed!

Remember the woman who gave her last two copper coins to God? It wasn’t about the amount she gave, but that she gave all she had. Her gift was an act of faith, believing that God would bless her and take care of her as she trusted him with her money.

What might have seemed like just a moment in time, a small passing act, has now become an example to us for almost 2000 years! Ask yourself, like that poor woman, will you trust God by choosing generosity?

What does it mean to be generous? It might be sharing your food, like the boy with the five loaves of bread and two fish did. It might mean giving an amount of money to God and trusting him in that way. Or it could even be your willingness to spend time with someone who needs a listening ear or helping hand. It's loving your neighbor as yourself.

No matter what the situation is, God is most concerned about your heart. You shouldn’t give out of guilt or pressure, but instead, worship God by loving him and being generous with your love for others.

Consider: Jesus told the religious leaders that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. How do you see that as an act of generosity?

Reflect: Has there ever been a time when someone else was generous to you? Remember and notice how it made you feel and what it did for you. Then, take a moment to praise God for it! Think about how you can share that generosity with others.