Infinitum 30 Day Challenge - Week ThreeSample

Generosity is Reciprocal 

Jesus said to his disciples, “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8 NIV). That was the instruction given to the disciples, to give freely what they had received freely. What if the disciples hadn’t received what they had been freely given? Would they still be able to freely give? 

When it comes to generosity, we can often think of ourselves as the giver but we need to understand that generosity is reciprocal. This doesn’t mean that every time we give something will be given to us. We can’t sit waiting for those who we extended generosity to give it back to us but we can understand and live in the idea that everyone has something to give. 

I often serve those who are economically poorer than me but whenever I leave a soup kitchen or a shelter I am quickly reminded of how I was also poured into when I was there.  Some may not be able to extend the exact kind of generosity we extend but surely they also have something to offer us. People sometimes need to be shown that they can give as well. 

I can imagine that if you are always receiving, it’s hard to see what you yourself have to offer. A part of being generous is not only allowing others to help you but to help others come to see their potential God-given gifts. 

Another example of generosity being reciprocal is when Paul talks about forgiveness. He says to the Ephesians to forgive one another just as God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32). It's reciprocal. I'm not going to forgive because I'm amazing at forgiveness. I'm going to forgive because I've been forgiven. When we receive the generosity extended to us, we are freed to give more generously ourselves. Generosity begets generosity! 

If the disciples hadn’t freely received they wouldn’t have been able to freely share. 

What are you not receiving today? Is it something that God has is trying to give you or is it something that another wants to give you but you refuse to accept because you don’t want to appear needy? Sometimes you have to humble yourself to receive. Learning to receive and not just give is a discipline and a helpful practice.