Discussion Guide
Generosity is hard! It rarely comes naturally! But we can all agree that it feels SO GREAT when we sacrifice. And when other believers see us being sacrificially generous, it speaks volumes about how much we trust God. Your goal in this discussion should be to challenge and push back on our selfishness and encourage each other to trust and obey our GENEROUS Father’s will.
Jump start
1. Who is someone you know right now that is one of the most generous people you know? What evidence have you seen to prove this? Why do you think they are this way?
2. Read 2 Corinthians 8:7. Other than generosity, what are some character traits that cause you to personally shine a bright light in a dark world? (grace, forgiveness, self-control, joy, peacefulness). What do you think Jesus would say to you right now about your attitude toward generosity? Be honest. Do you ever catch yourself reasoning with God that even though you’re not very generous, at least you’re abiding in other ways that you listed earlier?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 9:7. If you were handed $500 cash right now and told to give it all away, would it be easier than giving $500 that you had earned from working for it? Why? It’s wild that we forget that every penny to our name is God’s property that He has decided to LOAN to us. When we operate out of this perspective, generosity becomes so much easier. What are some reasons you can think of that compete with that perspective in your mind or heart?
4. Read Proverbs 11:25. So many Christians fall prey to the idea that God will reward our generosity financially. Yes, it’s possible, but financial reward cannot be our motivation to be generous. This verse says the generous will prosper and be refreshed. What are the ways that God would cause us to be prosperous and refreshed other than financially?
5. Read Matthew 5:16. Have you ever seen a social post from someone showing them being generous? Did you get the feeling that they wanted the credit(glory)? Have you ever done this yourself? Don’t feel ashamed but let this be a wakeup call. How can we ensure that God gets all the glory when we are generous?
Action Step: Commit to at least one specific way that you will each be generous in the coming week.