Generosity

Sheffield Cathedral. Evening Prayer with Hymns (Trinity 12) – 18.08.13
Readings: Isaiah 28.9-22: 2 Cor. 8.1-9

Our two readings this evening provide a striking contrast. The first, from Isaiah, is part of a chapter in which the author lays bare the corruption of rulers, priests and prophets. The very people to whom God looked to lead and be an example to the people had failed miserably. The second, from Paul’s second letter to the Christians at Corinth paints a very different picture. He uses the churches of Macedonia as a shining example of generosity.
Even in the midst of what Paul describes as ‘a severe ordeal of affliction’, the Macedonians were joyful and generous in giving in order to further the ministry of the early church. The chapter is, in fact, entitled ‘Encouragement to be generous’ in the NRSV, and it fits very well with Paul’s understanding of life in the Spirit.

The self-seeking, mean-spirited behaviour condemned by Isaiah has no place among the people of God; life in the kingdom has everything to do with the joyful and generous hearts evident in the churches of Macedonia. Paul underlines this point a little later in the letter at 2 Corinthians 9.6-7 where he writes:
‘The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully with also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’

Generosity is not just about our relationship to money. It is an inner disposition towards our neighbours and towards God. Christians see this as a response of the heart to the generosity of God towards us, declared and made manifest in Jesus Christ who freely gave his very life for us.

The contrast between people with a mean spirit and people with a generous spirit is not difficult to see. The former repel, the latter attract. Two Jewish proverbs sum this up:

The one who gives little with a smile gives more than the one who gives much with a frown.

Give with a warm hand, not a cold one.

Another saying puts it this way:

It is possible to give without loving, but it is impossible to love without giving (Richard Braunstein).

Generosity, ultimately, is not about ‘should’ or ‘must’ or ‘ought’ but about the response of the heart to love. An Indian fable captures this point tellingly.

There was once a poor beggar. He had no home but stayed every night in a free lodging-house, sleeping on a mat on the floor and using old rags to keep warm. His clothing was tattered and old and, with no way of earning a livelihood, he used to go out in the morning after a meal of cold rice left over from the previous day and sit by the wayside with his beggar’s bowl. For merit, passers-by used to throw some grains of rice or copper coins his way. He usually had enough rice for two meals a day, and enough money to buy a few vegetables, fish or dhall for curry, to supplement the rice and which sustained him.

One day he heard that the king was coming to the town in his chariot. That raised his hopes, as he said to himself, ‘The king will not give me a handful of rice or a copper coin, but nothing less than a gold coin.’ He took up his usual position by the side of the road, and patiently awaited the king’s arrival. The sun stood overhead and still he waited in the noonday heat, but no sign of the ruler. Patiently he waited, still full of hope, until almost sunset, and then he heard the welcome sound of the horses’ hoofs and the chariot wheels.

Stepping into the road, he brought the chariot to a standstill, approached the king and begged for alms. Instead of giving him anything, the king extended his hand and asked the beggar to give him something. Extremely disappointed and disgusted at a wealthy ruler begging from a poor beggar, he counted out five grains of rice from his bowl and placed them angrily in the hands of the king. ‘Thank you’, said the king, and continued his journey.

With a sore heart and very disappointed, the beggar want that evening to his lodging, took out his winnowing fan and began to clean his rice for his meal. As he did so, a small glittering object attracted his attention. He saw that it was a grain of gold. Laying it carefully on one side, he went on winnowing till he found another glittering golden grain, then another. Now the search began in earnest, and fourth was among the rice. After another he found a fifth and put it with the others. But no matter how long he searched after that, he found not another grain of gold.

Then the truth dawned on him. Five grains of rice given to the king had brought him in return five grains of gold. ‘What a fool I was!’ he exclaimed regretfully. ‘If I’d known, I’d have given him all of it.

In commending the generosity of the Macedonians, Paul urged the Corinthians to follow their example with the following words:

‘I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich (2 Cor. 8.8-9).

Paul’s words also speak across the centuries to you and to me. May we live as God’s generous people.