You Can’t Outgive God

When you have a generous spirit, you’re always doing more than what’s expected. You stay late to help a coworker who’s struggling. You take an elderly neighbor dinner at night. You support a single-parent mom. You give to expand the ministry. You don’t have to. Nobody would know if you didn’t, but you have an over-and-above mentality. You’re always looking for ways you can do good, for opportunities to be a blessing, and in doing so you’re positioning yourself for God to do over and above in your life. The Scripture says, “If you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly, and if you sow generously, you will reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). When you’re doing more than what’s expected, you’re going to see God open doors you couldn’t open, bring divine connections, and see favor you’ve never seen. 

On the other hand, some people do as little as they can to get by. They have a little kindness so they won’t be seen as unfriendly. They give a little time to help others, a little encouragement, a little friendship. Then they wonder why they don’t get good breaks or see increase and favor. They’re reaping what they’re sowing. If you sow little, you’re going to see little. If you sow ordinary, if you do only what’s required, you’ll see ordinary. 

There was a believer in the Scripture named Barnabas who didn’t come from an influential family or have a big résumé, but he had a generous spirit. He saw the apostles doing a great work and wanted to support them. Acts 4 says, “He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.” He didn’t have to, but he had this over-and-above mentality. And that one act of generosity opened the door to great ministry opportunities. It was Barnabas who convinced the early church leaders to trust Paul, who had previously persecuted the believers. He taught with Paul in the church at Antioch, then the Scripture says he “was chosen by the Spirit” to accompany Paul on his first missionary journey. God used Barnabas in great ways, and it can all be traced back to that over-and-above gift that opened doors and brought favor and relationships he never dreamed. 

Don’t live at an obligation level. Don’t have a what-can-I-get-by-with mentality. That’s going to limit you. Have a generous spirit. If you turn loose what’s in your hands, God will turn loose what’s in His hands. God is a rewarder. He sees you being a blessing to others, giving funds that you could use for your dream, and making sacrifices to build His kingdom. That’s setting you up for over-and-above blessings. You can’t outgive God. You can’t bless others without God blessing you. God multiplies whatever you give. It’s going to come back to you pressed down, shaken together, and running over.