The Bible encourages generosity and a giving spirit. Passages like 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 provide multiple insights about generosity. Because the world rewards self-seeking behaviors, it is critical that believers in Christ learn how to be generous.
PRINCIPLES
Defined - “Generous” means a readiness to give more of something, such as money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected.
Watch - Young people need to see what generosity looks like by observing mentors that display this behavior. Look for generous people and surround yourself with as many of them as you can find. Ask them why they are generous. Inquire about what joy this practice has brought to them.
Commit - Make a decision to begin living generously. Look for ways to donate time to meaningful kingdom-building projects. Begin to budget your finances so you can give to people and ministries. Pray specifically that God will help you be a generous person.
PRACTICE
Mark a day on your calendar or have a parent or caregiver mark one day on the family calendar for the next six months. You can also set up programs to automatically text you on this day. On that day, look back at the last month - how were you generous with your time? How about your money? Find another person to take the “generosity challenge” with you. Decide amounts of time and money you want to give or a certain attitude you want to have throughout a month. Talk each week to challenge and encourage each other toward greater generosity. Have a brainstorming session with a few peers. Create a list of practical ways that you can be generous. Search for ideas on the internet after you have exhausted your own creativity. Two options:
Make a list with an idea for each day of the week or month.
Make a different list with ideas to randomly try throughout a month.
Churches connected to Christian Endeavor have the opportunity to launch a higher commitment level called the “10th Legion”. People who decide to live out the CE Pledge can take their commitment deeper by being part of this group. The 10th Legion gives 10% of any money they earn to God’s kingdom-work. Some will choose to give all of this to their local church while others may support their local church and other church ministry organizations like Christian Endeavor. People who do not have a job to earn money can still join the 10th Legion. They can give to kingdom work by donating a portion of allowance or money received at holidays. Along with this, commitments to serve in specific ways are made. Talk to your church’s adult youth workers about starting the 10th Legion at your church. The symbol for those connected to this group is a logo with the Roman numeral for ten, X, which was often used as a sign of the cross by early Christians.
REFLECTION
Think about your life and evaluate your generosity. Would you consider yourself a generous person? Would others consider you a generous person? Consider the witness you can have for Jesus Christ by growing in this area. Reflect on the impact God can make through you by following the steps on this sheet.