When people think of generosity, they usually think about money. When you think of a generous person you generally think of someone who is willing to give you financial support. A greedy person is the kind of person who holds onto everything and trusts no one.

But there’s another kind of generosity that’s even more important than financial generosity and that is found in the emotional or spiritual realm.

As a rule, greedy people are unhappy people. Their focus is on themselves. On their possessions, their opinions, and their social standing. They get their identity from themselves.

Generous people are usually content with what they have and who they are. They get their identity and contentment from something outside of themselves.

The same is true in our spiritual lives. When we become self focused in our spiritual lives we only think about our rights and our opinions and our desires. But when we think of others, our focus turns away from ourselves to other people.

That’s how Jesus was. He did not think about himself. He did not base his feelings about other people on who he was. Rather he looked at their situation and saw life through their eyes. That’s why he was willing and able to reach out to those who were prostitutes and drug dealers and other people of immoral character.

A greedy person will never make a difference in the lives of other people because they are focused on themselves. A generous person will make a difference in the lives of others because they are willing to give what they have to better the situation of other people.

As followers of Jesus we need to make an impact in a world is becoming increasingly dark. We can do that by allowing the light of Jesus to shine through us and allow us to be an encouragement to those who are struggling. Anger, hate, and violence will never be defeated by using anger or hate or violence. The only way we can defeat the darkness of anger hate and violence is through the light and love of Jesus.

My hope today is that you will be able to share the love of Jesus with those around you. There are a lot of people that are afraid. There are many who are angry. There are many who are confused. As followers of Jesus we can make a difference in the lives of others through the power of the Holy Spirit by encouraging them and showing them the love and forgiveness of Jesus.