Why God Gives

Next week, we will celebrate Thanksgiving, a season in which we take extra time to think about what it is we are grateful for. And as Christians, we especially acknowledge that everything we have—our families, our friends, the food we eat, the houses we live in—is a gift from God, our generous and bountiful Creator. And so we practice gratitude. 

One thing I have always found paradoxical about gratitude, however, is how it points us toward generosity. When we recognize that everything is a gift, it inclines us to give freely. There is a line that I love in the prayer appointed for Thanksgiving: “Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need” (1979Book of Common Prayer, p. 246). Why does God give to us? He does this not only to provide the things we need, but to empower us to give to those in need. Indeed, when we are generous, we get to experience God in a unique and powerful way. Jesus tells us that when we help those in need, we help him. So God, in giving us the resources to help others, gives us a path to experience Jesus. In a very real sense, we can give back to God!

On Thanksgiving, especially as we head into the season of Advent, I can think of no better spiritual practice than to respond to God’s generosity to us by being generous to others. The world tempts us to consume more and more on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. But what would the world be like if Christians committed to giving to those in need?

This coming week, as you reflect on how generous God has been to you, I would encourage you to consider what it might look like for you to be generous to others. And remember—there are as many ways to be generous as there are things to be grateful for! Whether it’s giving money to someone who has none, giving time at a soup kitchen, inviting someone to a Thanksgiving meal who doesn’t have one to go to, or anything else. God has given much—so let’s freely give!

Blessings,

Father Jacob+