“The congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul . . . all things were common property to them.” Acts 4:32 (NASB)
When we’re generous with each other, we draw closer to each other, and that creates community.
Someone from my church sent me a letter that read: “My neighbor asked if he could borrow my ladder, and I said, ‘Of course.’ I later learned that he already had one of his own. He didn’t need to borrow my ladder; he just used it as a way to build our relationship. When he borrowed my stuff, it made me feel that I was needed, and I liked that feeling. I’ve now learned to do the same thing with my other neighbors.”
The letter continued, “Another neighbor has a shop vac, and I borrow it every Friday night to clean my car with my son. In fact, now Roger leaves it out for me. I told Roger recently that I could afford to buy my own shop vac, but I just like the interaction of borrowing his. Roger asked me to please not buy one for myself. He had learned to see the connection between generosity and community.”
The Bible says in Matthew 6:21, “Your heart will be where your treasure is” (NCV). In other words, whatever you put your time, money, and energy into is what’s going to attract you. So anytime you’re generous with your church or a neighbor or with the poor, that’s where your heart will go. Every time you give to God, it draws your heart closer to God.
The first Christians were famous for their generosity. Acts 4:32 tells us that “the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul . . . all things were common property to them” (NASB). They were a family. Their sharing was voluntary. It wasn’t communism. Communism says, “What’s yours is mine, and I’m going to take it.” Christianity says, “What’s mine is yours, and you can share it with me.”
As a parent, do you enjoy watching your kids share with each other? Of course you do. One of the primary lessons of life is learning how to share. When you see your kids being unselfish, it makes you happy.
God is the same way! When God looks down on us and sees us being generous with each other, he goes, “That’s my boy! That’s my girl! They’re doing what I want them to do,” because God is generous, and he wants us to become like him. Generosity creates community.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Talk It Over
Where would you say your treasure is? Where would other people say your treasure is?
Why is it hard for us as adults to share with others, especially our time?
What is your motivation when you are generous?
This devotional © 2023 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Whenever you’re generous with your church or with a neighbor or with the poor, that’s where your heart will go. Learn more about how generosity helps you build community in today’s #DailyHope devotional.
Rick Warren Bio
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of America’s largest and most influential churches. Pastor Rick is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book The Purpose Driven Church was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick created The PEACE Plan to address the five global giants—spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy—through the power of ordinary people in the local church. His Daily Hope broadcast and daily devotionals are offered around the world. You can listen to the broadcast or sign up for the free devotionals at PastorRick.com.
Tags
40 Days of Community – 2023, Community, Giving, Church, Money, Knowing God, Christian Living, Connection, Acts 4, Matthew 6
Broadcast Series: 40 Days of Community – 2023
Sermon Series: 40 Days of Community
Sermon: 016206_Living a Generous Life
