Generosity

Proverbs 25:21, 22 -  If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
                                  and the Lord will reward you.

Oswald Golter was a missionary in northern China during the 1940’s. After ten years of service he was returning home. His ship stopped in India, and while waiting for a boat home he found a group of refugees living in a warehouse on the pier. Unwanted by anyone else, the refugees were stranded there. Golter went to visit them. As it was Christmas time, he wished them a merry Christmas and asked them what they would like for Christmas.

“We’re not Christians,” they said. “We don’t believe in Christmas.”

“I know,” said the missionary, “but what do you want for Christmas?” They described some German pastries they were particularly fond of, and so Oswald Golter cashed in his ticket, used the money to buy baskets and baskets of the pastries, took them to the refugees, and wished them a merry Christmas.

When he later repeated the incident to a class, a student said, “But sir, why did you do that for them? They weren’t Christians. They don’t even believe in Jesus.”

“I know,” he replied, “but I do!”

Do you practice generosity? If so, do you do it because you feel the other person deserves it, or do you do it out of the character of Christ that dwells in you?  Scripture says to do it even to our enemies.  Don’t let there be any limits to who God asks you to be generous to.  You never know how He will use your act of generosity toward someone else.

Have a Marvelous Monday!