Generosity Begets Generosity

As a child, I grew up hearing about “stewardship” in church. There were stewardship campaigns, stewardship drives, stewardship committees, even stewardship seminars.   As an adult, returning to church after a long absence, it seemed the term “stewardship” was somewhat insider language.    It was a language that I never heard outside of church very often.  It seemed a word that was dutiful and legalistic and that focused entirely on supporting the church financially.  

This week, I was reflecting upon a passage I read in Luke 6:38 from “The Message”.   It reads,

“Giving, not getting is the way.  Generosity begets generosity.”

Recently, I started new position at New Day UMC as the “Director of Generosity”.  This made me think.  What’s the difference between “stewardship” and “generosity”? 

I have come to view a “steward” as a sort of trustee.  Someone who has a responsibility to care for something that is generally owned by someone else.    We are stewards of the Earth.  We are stewards of our money, our possessions, and our bodies.  We are stewards of things entrusted to us, inherited by us and earned by us.

Generosity, on the other hand, is an aspect of character.  It is an attractive quality which I aspire to and desire to see cultivated in my life, my family’s life and in my church.  I suppose then, that the opposite of generosity is selfishness and greed.  There are no stories that I have found from scripture telling of people living God-related spiritual lives while fostering a greedy attitude.  Generosity extends beyond merely the use of money, although it most definitely includes that.  It is the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).  It is an actual practice of giving.

 I admire and respect people who are generous, and I want to be like them.  Generosity focuses on the spiritual qualities of the giver.  We never describe people as generous who keep everything for themselves and only serve themselves.  I have to explain to my children what stewardship means.  They know generosity when they see it.

What has been your experience with the term “stewardship?”   With “generosity?”  Which word inspires your giving as you seek to grow in the image of Christ?

Peace.  Lauren