WHEN CHURCH LIVES INTO GENEROSITY

One observation as I pedal thousands of miles each year and sleep in dozens of churches along the way: generosity is an intentional value and culture we create.

In some churches I encounter, unthinking "no's" or  "we aren't set up for that," or "have a nice day," are the first words out of the mouth.  Behind such pragmatic, knee-jerk responses are more than concerns for liability or church rules for use of facility. These are good people, but they've not yet discovered the power of generosity

One pastor, after hearing I was in ministry for nearly 40 years and an ordained elder in her denomination, for example, reluctantly bid me stay at the church provided I put down a $100 deposit.  Fear says, "you just never know what they might do to your fellowship hall."  (Truth be known, Rick, my traveling colleague, is a recovering pew stealer and attends PSA-Pew Stealers Anonymous.  But it's easy to catch him--he pulls it behind his bike.)

But most often, however, we encounter churches that are discovering the power of being generous.  Others are in transition. And when their church policies have not kept up with their generosity, they have offered to put us up in a motel--which we always decline with gratitude.

If worship is a response to God's goodness and not just a rush or feeling comes when we sing our songs to God on a Sunday morning that we label, "worship," then generosity is one of the fruits of true worship.

May you become more generous with each new day and week.  Today, scour the social landscape for opportunities to bless and extend grace. Startle your friends, put the kabash on whine, flabbergast your spouse, baffle your boss with the intoxicating grace of generosity.  After all, Someone has already beat you to the life of generosity, now we just need to show up and open the door for heaven's generosity to come bounding out.