I’m convinced that Jesus intends for His followers to live extraordinarily generous lives.

Slow down for a minute. This piece is an unusually short amount of words.

But before you ingest them into your soul, please take a reading from 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 (it’s linked right there; go ahead and click it to read the passage).

WARNING: I’m asking for an offering at the end of this post.

I’ve recently been contemplating and praying about a series I want to teach on this theme. And in keeping with His character, the Holy Spirit has reminded me of some solid principles.

Without any extra buildup, here are 3 truths for Christians who want to please God.

1. Giving is about generosity, not getting.

A giver’s heart is generous and primarily wants to be a blessing. As a loving follower of Christ, a generous-hearted Christian knows they are abundantly blessed and want to be a blessing. Givers don’t give to get.

2. Giving is about joy, not grieving.

The heart of a giver experiences genuine pleasure through the act of giving. Givers don’t grieve after the act of giving. As a joyful follower of Christ, a generous-hearted Christian loves the simple joy that comes with blessing others through giving.

3. Giving is about acknowledging ownership, not selfishness.

The heart of a giver understands that they don’t own anything. In giving, they acknowledge that the gift wasn’t theirs to keep. As peace-filled followers of Christ, a generous-hearted Christian refuses to be held back by stuff that doesn’t belong to them.

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These 3 truths describe the gracious ideal for those committed to the local church. After all, stewardship principles are about so much more than the simple return of tithes.

OFFERING: As a Christian, what is God teaching or reminding you about a lifestyle of generosity? As a generous offering to help others, here’s your opportunity to share a comment in the space provided below.