Christians are called to live generously. Jesus lived a radically generous lifestyle – giving freely with his time and gifts.
But sometimes it's hard to be generous, and we need to be reminded to live in a way that honours God not just with our money, but our time, too.
Here are 10 Bible verses that speak of the call to generosity:
Proverbs 22:9
"The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor."
Matthew 6:19-21
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "
Isaiah 58:10
"...and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
1 Timothy 6:18-19
"Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
James 2:14-17
"What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Proverbs 19:17
"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done."
Ecclesiastes 5:10
"Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless."
Proverbs 3:9-10
"Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."
Psalm 24:1
"The earth belongs to the Lord, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it."
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."
