Luke 9:13-14 He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” (About five thousand men were there.)
In the crusade that Jesus conducted for three days, He did not circulate the offering basket instead they passed on the food basket for everyone to be fed. After three days of intense Bible Study, the crowd of five thousand men, their wives and children were hungry. While the disciples were hurrying Jesus to send them away, Jesus was planning for a fellowship dinner. There were two separate occasions mentioned in the Gospels where Jesus fed the multitude. On another occasion, He fed about four thousand hungry throng who came to listen to Him. “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” (Mark 8:2-3). Jesus invested His time and treasure generously. It was the lifestyle of Jesus to give, bless and feed the people who came to Him.
There were needs for Jesus and His ministry too. He was hungry, He was fatigued and He needed a place to rest and fellowship. However, His epitomic lifestyle of giving teaches us the secret to abundant supply. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over (Mark 8:8). The ministry needs were automatically met. “Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means” (Luke 8:1-3). They lacked nothing. “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty” (Proverbs 11:24).
Generosity and giving was the lifestyle of our Saviour.
A Generous Lifestyle:
1. Compassion: Generosity is an expression of compassion. Generosity without love and compassion will bear no fruits. Jesus commanded them to serve a meal to the hungry crusaders who came to listen to Him, out of compassion. “I have compassion for these people”. Compassion and generosity go together.
2. Compulsion: Giving from a cheerful heart is richly rewarded. ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35). If we are compelled to give our time, treasure or talent anywhere then, we are only wasting our resources. Give cheerfully not out of compulsion.
3. Confidential: Giving must be confidential and never publicized. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing (Matthew 6:3). Then the Lord who sees our giving in secret will reward us openly.
Develop a lifestyle of compassionate generosity and confidential giving.
2 Corinthians 9:7 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.
Prayer: Lord God, every blessing I have is from you. Teach me to be a good steward of my blessings and be a compassionate and generous giver. Amen.
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