Each week, let’s reflect upon Sunday’s teaching through further exploration…
From where do your acts of generosity flow?
“Jesus Sets the Example” (Encountering Generosity Sermon Series)
Christ-like generosity revolves around relationship.
That word “relationship” has a lot packed into it, including interdependence, commitment, and intimacy. The relationship between the Father and Son supremely exemplifies all three, as multiple Scripture references prove. It was from that relationship that Jesus’ earthly life flowed, including His many acts of generosity.
From where do your acts of generosity flow?
Science seeks to answer that question. In my recent reading of the paper “The Science of Generosity” (published by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley), a multitude of factors were researched regarding generosity, factors related to areas like evolution (the term the article used), biology, psychology, and sociology. Extensive information was shared, including the role of religion.
Of course, there was no mention of Jesus – how I look forward to the day mainstream science realizes Jesus is not a threat to their work but rather the piece to complete the puzzle! But as I read through the details of the article, I had to smile. His name mentioned or not, Jesus is there. Take the following, for example:
- Generosity is instinctual, cultural, and even necessary for survival (pg. 10-11).
- Our brains are “wired for generosity” (pg. 12) – there is a feel-good neural response when we show generosity, and there’s also growing research on how specific hormones are linked to generous behavior (pg. 12-15).
- Empathy, compassion, gratitude, feelings of awe, and the belief that others in need should be helped all have strong relationships with generosity (pg. 29-35).
Who created us? Who “wired” our brains? Who designed us for community, interacting with not only each other but also with Him? Whose life illustrated empathy and compassion? Who poured out gratitude through prayer after prayer? Who set the example of helping and serving others? At whose name will every knee bow and every tongue acknowledge as Lord?
As we reflect on generosity, especially through this holiday season marked by giving, more important than what we do or the service we provide is drawing from the relationship we have with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is relationship with Him first that results in loving service to others.
Want to be more like Jesus? Then let’s be more with Jesus.