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Don't Wait Until Your "Cup is Full" To Give

Mar 19 / Katie Jones
There are some financial gurus out there who often uses the illustration of “If your cup is full, then it can overflow to others.” He suggests that our goal should be to get to this place where we have taken care of all of our necessities and once we have reached that point we can overflow with financial generosity to others. This idea is often equated to the practicality of first putting on your oxygen mask before helping those around you. It’s suggested that if you don’t first put on your mask it will be extremely difficult to help those around you.

While this picture of helping ourselves first before we try to assist others sounds really nice, I actually believe that God is calling us to do something radically different.

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane he was begging God to take his cup of suffering away from him. I don’t think his cup was full and overflowing. But yet, he didn’t let this stop him from doing the most loving act of generosity the world has ever seen.
What Does Biblical Generosity Look Like? 

Biblical generosity isn’t waiting for the perfect situation. It’s not waiting until we feel like we have enough. It isn’t first paying off our debt. It isn’t making sure we are comfortable and feel fulfilled.

True Biblical Generosity requires sacrifice. It costs us something. It is uncomfortable.

Our pastor used this example the other day in a sermon that I thought perfectly illustrated this -

Let’s say I just picked up 30 pizzas from the pizza parlor and on my way out of the shop I see a man struggling with homelessness. I decide to offer him a slice and I feel really good doing it. While this is still beautiful, it didn’t really cost me anything because I still have TONS of pizza left.

But let’s say I’m walking down the street and in my lunchbox is just one slice of pizza that I brought for lunch. I see the same man on the street and I give him my only slice of pizza.

In both of these examples I’m giving the same amount of pizza. Yet only one instance actually costs me something. If I give the only slice I have, I have sacrificed my meal and will mildly suffer when lunch time comes. But if I give one of the many slices of pizza that I have, the effect of my generosity will only be felt in that moment because it didn’t take any actual sacrifice on my part.

Biblical generosity is not an amount. It’s a mindset. If you are waiting to get all your financial ducks in a row or waiting to feel like you’ve reached enough before you start giving you will not only miss out on so many opportunities to be outrageously generous, but you will also find that “enough” isn’t something you just reach one day. Biblical generosity starts right here. Right now. No matter what state your finances are in. So what are you waiting for?

Are you ready to prioritize generosity in your life? 

Ready to Prioritize Generosity In Your Life?

Grab my Free Kingdom Centered Budgeting Planner to learn how to transform your finances through Gospel Wisdom today.

If you're feeling encouraged about increasing your generosity and want a complete roadmap to build a financial system that focuses on Kingdom-Focused Finances, grab my Free Kingdom-Centered Budgeting Planner to learn how to transform your finances through Gospel wisdom today. 

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