Why Generosity Matters

Money...I never seem to have enough of it. Just when I put a little away, an unexpected bill comes, the car breaks down, someone gets sick, and the air conditioner goes out.I'm getting to the age where my financial planner is calling me into his office to let me know that I might not be able to retire when I want to. And the scary thing is, I was going to call and ask if I can borrow against my retirement to get caught up.Money is powerful. The good news for Christians is that Jesus had a ton to say about money. The bottom line is that it is a "heart" issue. The secret to joy and peace comes by crafting a generous heart. It's not all about money. The Bible said that it's better to give than receive (Acts 20:35), and study after study validates this truth in our culture.Here's our problem. Most of us would "say" we believe the truth about generosity, but we "live" as if we don't.  This is not to heap a load of guilt on you. Far from it. Rather, the Bible's teaching and Jesus' example are the true pathways to achieve what we are attempting to get by self-serving accumulation. The Bible never tells us that wealth is wrong or that planning for retirement is bad. In fact, you can find plenty of scripture that speaks of the wisdom of investing.The problem comes when we put our faith and trust in our wealth. It's a battle, but one worth fighting.