Astonishing Generosity

In the middle of my sabbatical, while reading through a wonderful, thick tome on the ministry of Jesus by  N. T. Wright, I stumbled across two words that were used to describe a key characteristic that Jesus’ expected of his followers: “astonishing generosity.”  I liked the phrase.  I rolled it around in my brain.  But I also found myself disturbed by it.  It seemed almost impossible.

The quote itself was a reference to Matthew 5:38-42, when Jesus tells his followers “to turn the other cheek” when struck, “give their cloak” when asked for a coat, or to carry a load an “extra mile” when a person makes you haul something for one.  He is saying in effect, that even when people use or take advantage of you, they in the words of Bishop Wright, “must be met with astonishing generosity.”  (Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, p. 290)

I underlined the phrase and even typed it into my sabbatical journal.  Through the next days, the word astonishing stayed with me.  It’s not enough to be generous, Jesus was saying.  But our generosity must astonish the people around us, leaving them dumbfounded for an explanation, flabbergasted for a rationale.  It’s not enough to be good to the people who are good to us, if we are going to be his followers are generosity must flow to the very people who we DON’T want to be generous.

At the same time, I was intrigued and challenged by the phrase and began to noodle on it some more.

First of all, why? Why does Jesus ask this of his followers?  There was a long-standing principle of tithing or giving or being charitable to those in need.  Of course, the people of God should give, but why generously, and why should that generosity be “astonishing”?

Two hundred pages later I found my answer.  In a section on how so many religious leaders of his day, thought that the only way the world would change would be through violent revolution, Wright tells us:

“Jesus summoned his hearers to the real revolution, which would come about through his people reflecting the generous love of God into the whole world.” (p. 507)

Ah, that’s it.   
• This is not just a strategy for adding some kindness to the world.  It’s a strategy for changing the world.  (It's a revolution strategy!)
• It’s not just about making the world better, it’s about making the world new. 
• Generosity is not just about making people think we are good nice and kind, it is about helping people see that God is good, compassionate and responsive to their cries.

It is a central activity of the followers of Christ to reveal God to the world. 

Our generosity is to remind people of God’s generosity.  Our generous forgiveness of those who fail us, giving to those in need, of openhandedness to those who were clinging so hard to the scraps of life, and welcome to those who are without a place in this world would be nothing more (and nothing less!) than a reflection of the “generous love of God into the whole world.”

And how abundantly, astoundingly, astonishingly generous God is! 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16

He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Romans 8:32

…God, who gives life to all things… 1 Timothy 6:13

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…James 1:17

God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.  2 Corinthians 9:8 

For the next few weeks in a sermon series at church, I am going to be teaching on becoming people who reflect God’s astonishing generosity. (You can download the first sermon here.)

If you want to follow along I’ll post links to the sermons here.  Perhaps you could start letting it roll around in your heart and mind, too.  And if you know of any stories of generosity in the name of God that took the breath away from the people, then please let me know. 

What would it mean to be lavishly generous, astonishingly generous people? 

Astonishing generosity. 

What would have to happen in your life for those two words to describe you?

Comments

[Derek Simmons]

Tod:
So...........according to N.T.Wright as you understand him, God is not going to make the world new. That's my job. Your job. The collective and individual job of all who follow Christ. The "new earth" piece of the "New Heaven and the New Earth" that Scripture teaches, that piece comes about when I become "astonishingly generous." When you become "astonishingly generous." When in time all who follow Christ become "astonishingly generous", that will the "new earth" we believers have all been waiting for.
Ah, that's it? Hmmmmmmmmm.

Your Brother in Christ (anxiously awaiting next Sunday's next shoe)
Derek Simmons

[Steve McCoy]

Thanks Tod. Preaching on generosity in January and this post is very helpful.

[Tod]

God is indeed making the world new. God, in Jesus Christ, is redeeming the world and making it a into his new creation (Rev 21:1-4)by his Spirit, through his "new creation" (2 Cor 5) his people. The revolution of the Kingdom inaugurated in Jesus would indeed bring about the new world that God promised, the jews prayed for and all the earth longed for. Jesus called his followers to live out that Kingdom in the world beginning now as a sign of what would yet be fulfilled.

[Jody]

We talked briefly about this at church on Sunday. We talked about loving others, and how hard it is to love people outside of our personal love boundaries. What would happen if we reached outside of our own boundaries to love others? We all do it. There is always someone we know of that is hard to love. If we humbled ourselves, became astonishingly generous, what would happen? I think it could change the world, even for one person at a time. I don't think we have to confuse it with the "new heaven and new earth" we read about for end times. But we can change the way we live in this world, and ultimately that can change the world on a wider scale.

[George]

Many years ago, an acquaintance shared something his pastor had taught: No one is so transparently Christian that good works should be done without citing Jesus Christ. It should go without saying -- but of course it doesn't -- that citing Jesus without doing the good works isn't scriptural.

BTW, Derek -- it's not either Jesus or us, when "us" are in Him.

[Derek Simmons]

George:
Thanks. Perhaps I have misunderstood or misapplied
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."[ESV]

If indeed it is an mis-application or mis-understanding on my part of either Tod's comment or Scripture (or both),that "....God, in Jesus Christ, is redeeming the world and making it a into his new creation (Rev 21:1-4)by his Spirit, through his "new creation" (2 Cor 5) his people....",then mutatis mutandi, I also "don't get" Tod's/N.T. Wright's interpretation of God's process vis product(small"r") revelation in Scripture of His "New Heaven and New Earth."

Perhaps, George, you could carry me further than you have with just your BTW.
Thanks.
Derek

[C]

A few weeks ago I was walking my dog around the block and passed a homeless woman I often see. For about the third time in a few weeks she asked me what time it was. I had a very strong impression, “Don’t just give her the time—give her your watch!” So I took it off and said, “Here, you need this.” She protested, but I said, “I believe that God wants you to have it.” She said, “In that case, I’ll thank Him and take it.” (I know that she is a believer.) Now, this was no astonishing generosity—it was no Rolex! In fact, someone had given it to me and, to be truthful, the “gold” was starting to wear thin. But since I was faithful in this small thing, maybe now God will show me something BIG to give away!

[Fr. Jim]

I've meditated on the quote that Jesus says that "others will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven." Why would they do this? Why not glorify us? Unless of course they see that the explaination for our good works can be nothing but God at work in and through us.