Give

Ever been given a gift by a child? When I was just out of college, I became a substitute teacher. That was one of the eight jobs I had in our first year of marriage. I lived in Waco, then Fort Worth, and then we moved to Seattle. This was all within 12 months. But as a substitute teacher, I learned quickly not to be too nice to these cute little kids, because they could quickly turn on you.

So with my new, more serious approach, I was teaching kindergarten kids how to write their letters. Unfortunately, little Dudley was struggling. I could see him crying during the assignment. And so this was my stand-and-deliver moment as a teacher. I mean, with a name like Dudley, this little boy had to master the letter D. So I went over to him.

I held his hand as he held the pencil, and we started doing capital D’s. Then we started doing lowercase d’s. He stopped crying. He seemed to gain some confidence. And later in the day, he came running up to me with a big smile on his face and handed me a Valentine’s Day card.

Now, this was a week after Valentine’s Day. It was bent. It was a bit beat up and wrinkled. I turned it over and noticed it was signed in cursive: “Love, Jennifer.” I was a bit confused. Rather than being discouraged that he would give me a used Valentine’s Day card, I began to realize that was all he had to give. He wanted to give me something, and so he gave me that Valentine’s Day card.

I kept that card for years as a reminder of that moment. See, when a child gives us a gift—no matter what it is—it comes from the heart. Little kids love to give things to us. Sometimes they might even take it back just to experience the joy of giving it to you again. This innate desire reveals that human beings really want to be generous.

Until we’re shaped and chipped away at by the systems and culture of this world.

Before we learn better, at our core we want to be generous people. But we’re haunted by the prospect that there may not be enough—enough time, money, or resources. And as a result, we end up with a scarcity mentality.

Jesus came with a radically different vision for the real world. While scarcity is an ever-present force in our human systems, Jesus revealed that there’s a much bigger world all around us, right here and now. The Kingdom of God—also known as the Kingdom of Heaven—is not just a place we go when we die. Yes, if we die in Christ, we go to be with Jesus. But during His ministry, Jesus taught that the Kingdom of Heaven is here.

So what is it?

The Kingdom of God is a system of life ruled by an incredibly competent and abundant God who cares for us and provides for us. We bring our lives into His kingdom through a relationship with God that comes through Jesus. When we do, we transcend that nagging sense of scarcity and self-preservation by tapping into far deeper resources.

If you’re here and you follow Jesus, we’re looking at the way of Jesus. And if you’re here exploring, our hope is that you’ll hear what it means to follow Him so you can decide for yourself. Settle in for a moment and listen to what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount about this new reality:

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money.

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life… Look at the birds of the air… Are you not of more value than they? … Consider the lilies of the field…

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow…”

Notice what we learn about the Kingdom of God in this passage: God’s rule and provision are right here, right now. Jesus hacks at the root of scarcity by upending the assumptions of the real world—that we’re on our own or that God doesn’t really care.

Reality in God’s kingdom—more real than what we currently experience—is actively ruled by Jesus, who is alive. Our God is incomprehensibly abundant, always paying attention, and radically generous. You can trust Him.

Step out of the human way of thinking. Rather than ruling your own corner of this human kingdom, step into the reality of the Kingdom of God. When you do, you’ll find rest in His sufficiency, and that’s what enables you to become generous again—like you were as a child.

This is what the early followers of Jesus heard. They trusted Him. They built their lives around Him. They became His disciples. Jesus said:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”

And in Acts 2, we see how they lived this out. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. They shared what they had. They met needs. And the Lord added to their number daily.

These first followers lived remarkably generous lives because they truly believed in the God Jesus revealed. Through discipleship, they experientially learned Jesus was right: the Kingdom of God is here, and God’s resources are accessible.

This leads us to a core conviction: all we have belongs to God, so we intentionally steward it as an act of service to God and others.

Today we’re looking at a life of giving—our time, relationships, talents, and treasure. How did fearful disciples become a movement that has lasted 2,000 years? They saw Jesus alive. They received the Spirit of God. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead came to live in them.

Think of it like a zip line. Letting go is terrifying at first. But with experience, you learn to trust the rope. In the same way, repeated experiences of prayer and generosity help us trust the reality of God’s kingdom.

So here are two foundational practices that forge generosity:

First: Prayer.
Prayer connects us to God. It teaches us how He provides. It expands our hearts for others. We don’t need perfect words—just honesty. Jesus taught us to pray simply, trusting our Father who already knows our needs.

Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s kingdom. It verifies the reality of His rule in our lives. A generous life is anchored in a praying life.

Second: Gifts.
This isn’t just about money—it’s about releasing control. When we give, we trust that God is our provider. Everything we have—our lives, time, talents, and resources—comes from Him. Generosity is about relaxing into the Kingdom of God and stewarding what He entrusts to us.

Sacrifice is part of the way of Jesus. If it required His sacrifice for the kingdom to break through, it will require ours as well. When we follow God’s lead, we can become the answer to someone else’s prayer.

Jesus invites us into His kingdom right here, right now—to become like children again, generous and free. When Dudley gave me that used Valentine’s Day card, it reminded me that even if all I have to give Jesus is a life that feels bent, wrinkled, or used up—that’s all He wants.

He loves you. He wants a relationship with you. Ask Him to forgive you, to lead you, and to help you follow Him as Lord. And out of gratitude, we give Him our time, our talents, and our treasure.

It’s the least we can do. We love and serve Him by loving and serving others.