Written by Andrew Hunt

Read: Romans 12:6-8; 2 Corinthians 8 & 9

At Lifegate, our seventh Life Code is, “We are known for our outrageous generosity.” That’s an important part of who we are because the Bible is clear that every Christian is called to be generous. Throughout Scripture, believers are instructed to care for the poor (Proverbs 19:17; Matthew 25:35-40), support the work of ministry (Philippians 4:15-18; 1 Corinthians 9:14), and meet the needs of others (Romans 12:13; 1 John 3:17-18). Giving is simply part of following Jesus.

The Greek word often translated “generosity” (haplōtēs) also carries the idea of sincerity and single-minded devotion. True generosity isn’t driven by recognition, obligation, or hidden motives. It flows from a heart fully devoted to God. We see this most clearly in Jesus. Though He had access to all the riches of heaven, for our sake He became poor, so that through His poverty we might become rich. His example shows us that generosity is ultimately an expression of love.

In Romans 12:6-8, Paul identifies giving as a spiritual gift. Just as every Christian is called to encourage others while some have the gift of encouragement, every Christian is called to give while some are uniquely gifted as givers.

Many people assume the gift of giving is only for those with significant wealth. Scripture says otherwise. Paul doesn’t say gifted givers have more money than everyone else. He says they give generously. The difference isn’t how much they have; it’s how they view what God has entrusted to them. People with this gift often see opportunities that others miss. When they hear about a need, their first response is often, “How can I help?” Giving brings them joy. They don’t simply see money as something to spend or save. They see it as something God can use.

We see a beautiful example of this in 2 Corinthians 8-9. Paul describes the Macedonian church, who gave generously even while facing hardship themselves. Their generosity wasn’t driven by guilt or pressure. It flowed from hearts transformed by God’s grace.

These chapters teach us that giving is grace-based, worshipful, voluntary, joyful, and sacrificial. The Macedonians remind us that generosity is rarely about having enough. Most of us think we’ll become generous once we have more. They were generous before they had more because they trusted God for the “more than enough.”

Every Christian is called to be generous. But some are uniquely empowered by the Holy Spirit to model and inspire generosity that fuels the work of the gospel.