Glorifying God in Generosity

My grandfather had a tradition of giving a gold dollar to every young child he saw for almost twenty years. While this could be embarrassing when he would interrupt a dinner out to give coins to complete strangers, it was wonderful to see the joy he had in his heart every time he gave one away, especially to a child at church. Most Sundays, Granddad stood at the back of the church, collected the offering trays and counted the money. He would be overwhelmed when he would come across one of those gold dollars that a child had donated. His generous gift was returned with selfless giving to Christ and nothing could make him prouder. It was his example I wanted to follow with my own generosity.

Ross and I both grew up attending church and giving weekly offerings based on the example set by our families. While our small gifts as children may have not made a large impact on the church, it created a habit that we continue now. We try to instill those values in our children from an early age so that they may understand the importance of a generous heart.

We’ve been members of St. Luke’s since moving to Houston and have gotten involved with The Hub Sunday School class, multiple small groups, volunteering with Student Ministries and other service projects. Our two year old loves her Sunday School class, and we know our two week old will benefit from Children’s Ministries for years to come. Through these programs we’ve made many close friends and mentors and grown in our faith. These ministries mean so much to us, and we know they are only possible because of our church’s generosity.

When we think of glorifying God in generosity, we aspire to use our gifts as a way to fulfill God’s mission on earth. It is amazing how our contributions, no matter how small, can become life-changing in God’s hands. From Sunday worship to service projects around Houston and the world, the incredible gifts from St Luke’s members are transforming lives.