Do you know someone who is sacrificially generous, someone who gives, wants or even needs to give? How would you characterize them?
When you think of those who are sacrificially generous, you may notice some common traits. Although they have different backgrounds, incomes and living standards, they often share some similarities.
Discipleship is often easy to overlook for this group of givers because they seem to “get it.” But it is important to continue to discipline every type of giver, including those with the gift of sacrificial generosity.
Why? Because sacrificial people, like all of us, face unique challenges that create unique needs and opportunities for discipleship. And through discipleship and communication, you can connect each of these givers to a specific area of your church to further guide and magnify the impact of your ministry.
To help you recognize them, here are 11 of these common traits shared by sacrificial people:
1. Sacrificial people have open hands.
They understand that God owns everything (Around 24:1). Everything they own is not theirs. Possession is not the same as ownership. Like the servants in the parable of the talents, while the servants owned the talents, the talents still belonged to the master. Because sacrificial people understand that God owns everything, they recognize that God can do with it as He pleases. So everything is held with open hands, ready to be used by God.
2. Sacrificial people are not right.
They recognize that people deserve only one thing: eternal damnation (Romans 3:23;6:23). Therefore, everything they have received, apart from eternal damnation, is a gift from God (Jakob 1:3). Sacrificial people do not want what they deserve and understand that they are not entitled to anything other than the consequences of sin.
3. Sacrificial people overflow with gratitude.
Because sacrificial people recognize that they are not entitled to anything, they are grateful for everything. They don't need a fancy car, big house or exotic vacation to be grateful. They thank God for the breath of life, fellowship with other believers, and the gift of salvation. While you will rarely hear the donor say, “I deserve…”, you will frequently hear them say, “Thank you.”
4. Sacrificial people tend to be incredibly happy.
While you probably know several grumpy, stingy individuals, you probably don't know a single grumpy, generous individual. The Bible teaches us that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35, NLT). Generosity increases one's joy because it loosens one's grip on the material world and tightens one's hold on Christ.
Generosity increases one's joy because it loosens one's grip on the material world and tightens one's hold on Christ.
5. Sacrificial people do not ask, “How much should I give?” but “how much should I keep?”
This is a question that appears in the book,Allah and money. For sacrificial people, giving is not a "need" but a "need." They are not looking for a minimum, but for a maximum. They desperately want to participate financially in God's mission on earth. Sacrificial people are not concerned with checking a box on a spiritual checklist, but with the opportunity to participate financially in God's mission on earth.
6. Sacrificial people don't wait for someone to ask for help, they seek it out.
They ask, "Can I help you?" And they mean it. They want to be used by God to help others and advance His kingdom, and they will not passively wait for an opportunity to arise. They go and look for opportunities.
7. Sacrificial people have fewer material possessions than people with similar incomes.
Their home may be smaller than someone with a similar income. They can drive a cheaper car than someone with a comparable income. And they may not take as many vacations as someone with a similar income. But sacrificially generous people don't care, because they know they have something much better than all these things.
8. Sacrificial people are ridiculously content.
They have found contentment in Christ and His gifts instead of things. Sacrificially generous people have experienced the unfulfilled promises that the material world brings. They know that possessions can never provide ultimate satisfaction. So they pin their hopes on the only One who can give ultimate satisfaction and struggle. And he has fulfilled all his promises.
9. Sacrificial people are not just generous with their money.
They certainly give their finances, but they give much more than just their finances. They recognize that God has called them to use all He has given them for the sake of the Kingdom. That's why they volunteer at church. They care for their elderly neighbor. They guide people younger than them. Generosity infiltrates all aspects of their lives, not just their finances.
10. Sacrificial people are enthusiastic about life.
These people are on an adventure that they could never have organized on their own. They are on a mission. Because they live with open hands, God has taken their resources and used them in unimaginable ways. They view what God has allowed them to experience as an honor, and they can't wait to see what God will do next.
11. Sacrificially generous people are excited about eternity.
They knowMatthew 6:20Well – “Store your treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal” (ESV). As they have aggressively shifted their investment strategy skywards, they are looking forward to their investment returns. Sacrificial people eagerly await the moment when God reveals the true impact of their sacrifice, including the number of people who are in heaven with them because of their generosity. For sacrificial people, death does not mean the loss of earthly treasures, but the realization of heavenly treasures.
Do these traits describe those you know as generous? Do they seem to reflect your experience with those who live with open arms?
Ultimately, sacrificial, generous people experience what we see in them1 Timothy 6:19-“By doing this, they will store up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they can experience true life” (NLT). True life – the present blessings that come with aligning with God's plan. Satisfaction. Satisfaction. To be part of something much bigger than yourself. Real life.
And you? Would others recognize these characteristics in your life? Do others see you as happy, ridiculously content, and excited about life and eternity? If not, what will it take for you to get your hands on true life?
