Eagle Brook Church Blog

“G” is for Generosity

Eagle Brook Church communicates its values with five words that begin with the letter “G”: Grace, Growth, Groups, Gifts and Generosity. This past week I got a lesson in generosity.

My wife and I spent the last five days caring for two of our grandkids (three-year-old Isaac and nine-month-old Ian). Isaac asked if he could have a little bag of those gummy, fruit, cartoon character, snacky things (my description). As he was opening the bag I asked, “Isaac, may I have one of the red fruities please?” He just looked at me and began eating. I was curious as to where this little experiment in sharing might go.

I said, “Isaac, I’d just like one—a red one please.” He continued looking at me, chewing a little faster, putting another cartoon character in his mouth as quickly as possible, and not once taking his eyes off me.

I began to reason with him, “Isaac, Papa gave those to you, can’t I have just one?” He simply stared, eating as fast as his little mouth would chew.

“Isaac, I bought those with my money—all I want is one, you can eat the rest.” He thrust his chubby three-year-old hand into the bag, looking me in the eye, and chewing with renewed vigor.

Finally, the gummies were gone. Isaac looked away for the first time, peeking inside the bag to make sure he’d eaten them all. Then he turned the bag upside down, smiled widely and said with triumphant glee, “All gone.”

As I struggled to hide my laughter throughout this brief ordeal, I pondered my own sense of entitlement and self-centeredness in the eyes of my Heavenly Father. He gives everything, and asks for so little. How often have I consumed God’s entire provision without sharing any of it, only to raise empty hands to him and say, “Sorry, it’s all gone, can I have more?”

The Bible reminds us, “He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.” Proverbs 22:9NASB.

The current economic conditions are forcing many individuals and families to ask for help. Many turn to the local food shelves to get their next meal.

This coming weekend (July 19 and 20), our church family will have an opportunity to give some food to help those who have landed on hard times. Everything we give at our SLP campus will go to the Anoka County CEAP food shelf. If you’d like more information, please click here.

When King David observed the generosity of the Israelites, he prayed, “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!” 1 Chronicles 29:13-14NLT.

When we practice the value of generosity, we are only giving back to God what He has first given to us.