“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.” (John 3:16 MSG)

Our youth pastor, Aaron, loved to share stories about his four-year-old son, Colton. Colton loved to do whatever his daddy was doing, no matter what it was. Maybe it was picking out pajamas for his little sister, putting pepperoni on the pizza, or even cleaning the house. Aaron said, “All I have to do is say, ‘Colton, I’m going to clean up the family room. Want to help me?’ If he thinks it’s something I want to do, and there is a way he can help, he’s all in.”

I asked him, “Why do you think that works?” His answer was simple. He said, “Because he’s a child, and I’m his father ... he wants to be a part of whatever I am doing.”

As I let that statement sink in, I experienced a holy moment. As Aaron’s child, Colton inherently knew that he wanted to do whatever his father was doing.

Wanting to be just like our Father is what generosity is all about. As children of God, we love our Father and want to be a part of whatever God is doing.

God is always up to something big in the world.

God is always casting compelling visions about the way it could and should work.

God is always reaching out to the world with extravagant love, forgiveness, and grace.

God is always giving.

Our Father invites us to be a part of all of it and to enjoy a “whole and lasting life.”

~Herb Buwalda

Reflection

How have you experienced God’s love and generosity? Can you think of a time when you were loving and giving? What was that like?

Challenge

Today, look for opportunities to be loving and giving to at least one person you meet. For example, spend time with someone you might normally walk past or ask someone whom you would normally ignore to share their story with you.

From A Generous Life: 28 Days of Devotion. Copyright © 2019 Abingdon Press. All rights reserved.