Open HandedNäide

One of the biggest barriers to open-handed generosity in our lives? Us! Yes, often, it’s not the lack of funds, fear of not having enough, or not knowing where to start that stands in the way of our generosity. Instead, it’s our own lack of ability to see where God might be calling us to give. We tend to see only what’s in our personal orbit. We notice the causes we care about, we see the needs of the people we know personally, and we look for ways to support the church we attend or the ministry we’re involved with. And while all that is great, if we’re not careful it can limit how we see the needs in the world and the scope of our generosity in response. As the prophet Isaiah reminds us, God is always working. God is always doing something new—something better. If we don’t see it, it’s not because it’s not happening. Rather, it may be because our eyes aren’t open to it.

When we choose to see as God sees and look for God’s Spirit at work in everything and everyone, we begin to see things differently. This new lens always reveals an invitation to step into the good work God is doing in the world.