Generosity and Hospitality: More than Writing a Check - day 26

Generosity and Hospitality:
More Than Writing a Check

Romans 12:13
Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

You know, I talk about generosity a lot. One thing I’ve noticed is that when people hear about generosity, they think I’m just talking about money. But, the truth is, generosity includes a lot more than money!

Believe it or not, for some people it is one of the simplest tasks in the world to write someone a check. What do I mean by that? Well, for some people – and they don’t even have to be rich – writing a check is a quick way to show someone you care without having to really invest in that person. All they do is fill out that check, tear it off and give it to the person and they go away feeling like they did a generous thing.

Did you know it is far more difficult for this kind of person to actually spend time with a person caring for them? While for many people, money is the most expensive thing they could give away – for others, it is a lot harder to give of their time and their energy.

One example where the Bible addresses this is in Romans Chapter 12. Here, Paul teaches that we are to be hospitable toward others. True hospitality means that as you invest in someone else’s life, you also invite them into yours. When you have someone over, perhaps making them dinner or something like that, you are showing that person love and generosity that money could never communicate.

Generosity isn’t any one thing. If you’ve received God’s generosity in the Gospel, then your whole life is going to reflect that generosity.

Today’s Generosity Challenge:
I’d like to challenge you in this way: invite someone over for a meal. Let people into your life and invest in theirs. And as you go out looking to be generous to someone else, I’ll bet you that you end up getting blessed in the process, too. Write down those blessings below.

About Michael Stickler

Mike is an author, radio host, and a highly sought after motivational speaker. His best-selling book, A Journey to Generosity, is widely acclaimed throughout the Christian community. He is the publisher of Generous Living Magazine and writes for the Christian Post, 'A Generous Life' column.