What Makes A Person Generous? 4 Beliefs About God That Characterize Generosity

How does one come to be known as generous? What life routines allow someone to be identified as generous instead of by their career title or relationship status? Does a generous person leave big tips, send handwritten thank you notes for each gift they’re given, or volunteer every chance they get?

I (Nick Tofteland), began considering these questions after an interesting introduction in my first month of professional fundraising. The introduction began like this, “Nick, this is Paul — one of the most generous people I know.” 

I later learned that for Paul, generosity isn’t an action, it is his identity and he counts Abram, from the Bible, as his mentor and inspiration. This experience and passage has sat with me for over a decade. After reading and pondering the story of Abram many times I have discovered four beliefs that a generous person has about God. 

Navigating life with these four beliefs about God changes how we view our possessions and the people around us. Ultimately, these beliefs free us to care for what we have, share what we have, and know that God will give us what we need. Whether you’re a development professional, nonprofit leader, or financial supporter these beliefs will equip you to engage with others more effectively. 

God Calls Us to Stewardship Not Ownership

If someone told you, “I need you to move but I’m not going to tell you where until you get there,” would you pack up your whole house and go?

Probably not! But Abram did. 

At this time in Abram’s life he was already considered wealthy, meaning he had livestock, multiple tents and servants. Packing up and moving was no small endeavor. Even still, Abram followed God. When he finally arrived at the place God showed him, his wealth grew. 

As Abram flourished, Lot, the nephew who had accompanied Abram, became jealous of Abram’s land. In response, Abram generously offered the more lush land to Lot and moved his own herds and herdsmen away. 

In case you missed it, Abram, the man who left his homeland in anticipation of a promised land, gave away that exact land! These are the actions of a man who knew in the core of his being that whatever he had ultimately belonged to God. Abram, like us, was called to stewardship, not ownership. 

Jesus emphasizes the importance of stewardship in the New Testament with the Parable of the Talents. Three servants were each given money to take care of while the master was away. When the master returned he rewarded the two servants who had invested the money and dismissed the servant who had simply buried the money. God calls us to stewardship, not ownership.

This deeply held belief allowed Abram to leave his homeland in search of the promised land and then give that same land away. He knew he didn’t own his home, wealth, or land — God did — he was merely a steward of all these things. Abram’s pursuit of God to a land he did not know and generosity to Lot depict a man who did not double fist his possessions as his own, but saw them as a gift to steward, which sometimes meant letting them go. 

God Rewards a Cheerful Giver  

Does your family go trick-or-treating on Halloween? 

We do. This year, our trick-of-treating adventures turned into a beautiful lesson in generosity. 

Trick or treating is a big deal in my neighborhood — everyone is out, which means my boys get tons of candy! On our way home we stopped by our next door neighbor, we’ll call her Shirley, to enjoy the burn barrel she sets up every year. While we watched the flames Shirley asked my sons, “Did you get any butterfingers?” 

As they peered into their bags Shirley explained that butterfingers were her favorite candy to hand out, but store after store didn’t have any for her to buy. It was dark out, and my boys didn’t find any butterfingers in their bags, either. We waved goodbye and headed to our home.

Immediately, mini mountains of candy were strewn across our living room rug as Cole, my eldest, began counting and organizing his candy. As soon as Cole noticed a small mound of butterfingers growing he scooped them up and left the house without a word to either my wife or me. A few moments later, he returned empty-handed. 

Cole proceeded to dump out a second bag of candy. His mini candy mountains weren’t so mini anymore. When he saw a second mound of butterfingers collect he scooped them up just like the first and disappeared into the night. My wife and I were concerned to see a glistening of tears in his eyes when he returned empty-handed for the second time. 

“Shirley had the biggest smile on her face when I gave her those butterfingers!” Cole said. As a father there aren’t words to accurately communicate how grateful I was that at such a young age Cole was experiencing the reward of being a cheerful giver. 

Cole hadn’t given up all his butterfinger because it felt good to not have anymore butterfingers. He gave because of the joy experienced in doing something for someone else. My wife and I took this opportunity to explain to Cole the very same characteristics of a generous person that you’re reading in this article. We pointed out that generous people give because of the joy reflected in the life of the receiver. 

But the story gets better! A few days later my youngest son, Zeke, was unpacking his backpack from preschool and out came two peppermint patties and a snickers bar. Apparently, when Zeke was handed a peppermint patty he asked for a second one because he remembered it was his mom’s favorite candy and wanted to share with her. 

Zeke had caught the spirit of generosity from his brother! 

God rewarded Cole’s cheerful generosity by allowing him to experience the joy of blessing someone else and inspiring his brother to do the same. Very often, this experience of joy, is how God rewards us for giving generously, but sometimes God rewards us very tangibly as in the story of Abram.

In Genesis 13, a few verses after Abram gives the more choice land to his nephew Lot, God rewards his generosity saying, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession” (Genesis 13:14-17).

It doesn’t take a lot of imagination for us to conclude that God is rewarding Abram for giving generously to Lot. Rewarding willful generosity is seen throughout the Bible including Corinthians where Paul writes “God loves a cheerful giver,” and Proverbs 22:9, “The generous will themselves be blessed.”

Believing that God rewards a cheerful giver, as He has promised to do, empowers individuals to be more generous. Instead of keeping what we have because we think that’s all we’ll get, we are able to give because we know God rewards those who give cheerfully and generously. 

God Blesses Us So That We Can Bless Others

I love to cook — you could say that I have the gift of cooking — and I love to eat what I cook. But do you know what’s even better than eating what I cook? Sharing that food with others! 

I love that my gift of cooking can become a gift for others in the form of my wife getting a break and my friends getting to eat yummy food. This principle of one person's blessing benefiting someone else is also found in the story of Abram.

Sometime after Lot and Abram went their separate ways the King of Sodom was defeated by four kings. Lot lived in the land of Sodom, which meant he, his family, and their possessions were seized in the aftermath. When Abram heard of Lot’s fate, he sent his men to pursue the foreign kings. Abram’s men defeated the foreign armies and returned Lot's family to Sodom.  

The King of Sodom offered Abram riches and spoils from throughout the kingdom in return for his people. Resolutely and repeatedly, Abram refused the rewards. Abram went on conquest to defend and rescue his family — not to gain wealth. He explained to the King of Sodom that the only rewards he would accept are those provided by the Lord. 

When Abram saw that his relatives were in need, instead of holding a grudge against them for being jealous of him years ago, Abram used his resources to wage war and rescue them. Abram didn’t see gifts as an invitation to hoard and keep to himself. Instead, Abram embraced the belief that gifts are an invitation to see the opportunity to give (Hebrews 13:16).

We see this behavior modeled in the New Testament as well. In Luke 8:1-3, wealthy women who had experienced Jesus’ love and redemption traveled with Him and financially supported His ministry. And in Romans, Paul instructs his readers to look out for the interests of others. 

Generous people believe God blesses them so that they can bless others; therefore, they view wealth as an opportunity to give to others.

After Abram declares to the King of Sodom that we will rely solely on the Lord’s provision, God makes a promise to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great” (Genesis 15:1). Eventually, Abram inherited even more land — not only the land of Canaan but all of the lands surrounding Canaan! 

God Provides For Our Needs

Did you know that one of the most significant moments that the words Jehovah Jireh are used to name God is in the story of Abram?

Not long after the long awaited birth of Abram’s son Issac, the Lord asks Abram to offer his son as a sacrifice (Genesis 22). “Immediately,” the Bible says, Abram responds in obedience and, “got up early” the next morning. There was no waiting in Abram’s obedience. Even Abram’s most personal and precious possessions weren’t off limits to God. 

Thankfully, we see the Lord intervene at the very moment Abram was about to make his most obedient gift. God provides a ram and Abram praises the Lord calling Him Jehovah Jireh, which means “provider” (Genesis 22:14). 

Abram didn’t know God was going to provide a ram to sacrifice instead of his son. Abram knew God called him to stewardship, not ownership, rewards those who give generously, blesses individuals so that they can bless others, and had provided for him so far — including giving him a child in his old age. Those beliefs empower Abram to make his most generous gift and offer his son as a sacrifice. 

Generous people believe that God provides which frees them to give even the most significant life-altering gifts. The New Testament confirms that God is our provider in Philippians 4:19 where Paul writes, “God will provide for all our needs.”  

In the final verses of Genesis 22, God recognizes Abram’s faithfulness and blesses him yet again, “Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you” (Genesis 22:15-18). 

Abram was blessed during his lifetime with much land, as already referenced, but that was just the beginning of Abram’s blessings. Reading the many genealogies in the Bible we now know that from Abram’s lineage came King David and Jesus Christ — the Savior of the world. Abram’s name is also listed in Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith.  

Abram’s reward was truly great — greater than extensive land and exceeding wealth!

Are You A Generous Person?

Living out these four principles is what has caused Paul, the man who was introduced to me as a generous person, and his family to be identified as generous. They truly view everything they have as God’s and want it to be used for God. Which brings us to an important point, Paul and generous people like him want to be asked to pray over making a gift.

Generous people only know about so many organizations and opportunities to give, it is the fundraisers job to request prayerful consideration of supporting their important work. If someone decides to give to a different organization instead of being disappointed, celebrate that philanthropy is happening!

Does this perspective on fundraising and generosity resonate with you? If so, schedule a call with us HERE. While our coaching clients receive support in specific areas like legacy giving or capital campaigns, we also walk alongside them in crafting a narrative of generosity that resonates with their organization and supporters. We would love to do the same for you!