An Intentional Faith by Allen JacksonSample

Cultivating generosity isn’t just a good idea, it’s an imperative of the Scriptures. And before you assume I’m in league with your pastor or priest, before you assume we’re all just trying to get our hands on your bank account, let me assure you that’s not the case. Living generously isn’t just about money. It’s about every facet of your life, every area: the way you spend your time, the way you offer your skills, and the way you spend your money. Generosity is a holistic endeavor that flows from the understanding that nothing belongs to you in the first place. Everything you own, every dollar you make, ever hour of your time—every bit of it belongs to God.

In Psalm 24:1, the psalmist writes, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” All material—every speck of gold and silver, every animal, every human—belongs to God. Apart from the material, though, the Bible indicates that time itself belongs to God: “The day is yours, and also the night; you established the sun and moon” (Psalm 74:16).

It’s true that all material and all time, including our own time, belong to God. And the same is true of all our gifts and talents, all our skills and expertise. . . .

Jesus shares how we should devote every aspect of our being to God, including our gifts, our minds, and our strengths. He then connects using our gifts with loving our neighbors. More than preach it, though, he lived it out. Out of the abundance of his divine wisdom, he offered his time generously to his neighbors, to twelve struggling disciples, to the men and women who needed healing and forgiveness of sins, and ultimately, to a world desperate for a Savior.

Generous living is about more than money. It’s about all our material, all our time, and all our talents. That said, it’s about your pocketbook too. And though you might think it’s a tired stereotype—a preacher preaching about money—know this: preachers talk so much about money because the Bible does.