Of course, the movie is about a guy named Ebeneezer Scrooge, who loves and WORSHIPS money. Nothing is more important to him. He is fueled by greed. He is completely selfish. That is, until three ghosts drop by (conveniently) to show him his past, present, and future-- all glimpses of a man who cares for nothing but himself and his own wealth. These "glimpses" are an eye-opening experience for him. He comes to realize that if he continues on this path, his life will be ultimately meaningless. By the end of the movie, he has a big smile on his face as he freely gives away what was most precious to him. This man that we hate becomes someone we love when he becomes generous. This villain becomes a hero when he gives his money away!
When it comes to money and what you do with it, are you more of a hero or a villain? Have you been SCROOGED? This week, we're going to take a look at what the Bible has to say about generosity. To be generous, is the opposite of selfishness. A generous person is someone who shows care and kindness in a very tangible way--by giving money (and time) to be a help to others.
1. GENEROSITY IS HEROIC
Have you noticed how celebrities and athletes often make the news when they give money away or become spokespeople for charities? Our world considers people who are generous as HEROES- true role models! We see plenty of places in the Bible where this is true. In Luke 11, Jesus told us what it really means to love God and love others (the only rules we really need to live by). He told the story of a man who was beaten, robbed, and left for dead at the side of the road. Some people came across the man, and shockingly, did nothing to help. But then a man from Samaria came. He stopped. He bandaged the man's wounds. He gave him a ride to someplace where he could get medical attention, and then he paid the man's medical bills until he had fully recovered. This guy was GENEROUS! He was a HERO! Jesus said that this is what someone who loves others should look like.
Later on in Mark 12, Jesus singled out a poor widow as a hero. Plenty of people were dropping big bucks in the offering plate, but this woman gave two small coins (worth pennies)-- everything that she had to live on! To most people, this kind of generosity, this kind of selflessness (the opposite of selfishness) is completely insane, but Jesus thought that she was a role model!
2. GENEROSITY IS INSEPARABLE FROM CHRISTIANITY
The early church was known for radical giving, even selling their property and possessions to use the money to help people in need (Acts 2:44-45). Today, we're all about upsizing and upgrading, but these Christians were downsizing and making sacrifices so that they had more to give! That challenges me every time I read it! The church, throughout history has been known for its generosity. In fact, most of the relief organizations in existence today are either Christian or founded by Christians. Most people who have never even been inside a church before, believe that the church would be able to help them if they were in trouble or in need. Do you have that kind of reputation? Are you known for your generosity?
3. GENEROSITY KILLS GREED
Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 that money is a God. If we depend on it more than anything else, if we love it, if our lives revolve around getting more of it, than it has taken the place that God should have in our lives. How can we follow God and follow money at the same time? Jesus said that it's impossible. In 1 Timothy 6:10 Paul writes that "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil". He's not saying that money itself is evil...but the problem is when we LOVE it. Most of the injustice and evil in our world today is because of people wanting more for themselves at the expense of others. If everyone on earth was selfless, we would be living in heaven.
So, how do we prevent ourselves from becoming SCROOGED? How can we fight the temptation to be selfish and greedy? We need to FORCE OURSELVES to be generous. There have been plenty of times in my life where I felt that I was getting too attached to money-- where I didn't want to give-- where I wanted to spend money on myself and my family and save as much as I can. In those times, I've had to force myself to give. Every time I'm generous, I'm killing the Scrooge inside of me. I'm putting him in his place.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Have you ever found it really hard to give to a charity or to help someone in need? Have you ever found it hard to give regularly to the church? Have you ever wanted to stay at home on the couch instead of volunteering at church or for some other charity? Why do you think it's so hard to do something that's so good?
2. Can you think of an example of someone who is truly heroic because of their generosity? Can you think of any celebrities or athletes who are known for giving? Obviously you don't have millions of dollars, but do you have that kind of reputation?
3. Scrooge is known for making some radical changes to the way he lived his life. What is one practical step of generosity that you (or your family) could do, either once, or on a regular basis? What is one way that you could kill the Scrooge inside and show in a tangible way that you really do love others and not just yourself?
Pray together as a family and ask God to show you ways you can be more generous with your time or money.
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