May 9: Insight Post by Julie Christensen

  -   May 9, 2025

Generosity Reflects God’s Heart: By giving to the needy, we reflect the heart of God, who is compassionate and generous to all. Our generosity is a way to show the love of Christ to those around us and to be His hands and feet in the world.

Friday Verse

And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. Hebrews 13:16 (NLT)

Friday Questions

How can I be more intentional about reflecting God’s generosity in my daily life? Who in my life needs my support and generosity today?

Friday Insight Post
by Julie Christensen

Four? That’s all? No more? Nothing else? Matthew chapter six is comprised of 34 verses. Four is only about 12% of the entire chapter. How can only four verses speak so loudly to me? Because they made me examine my heart and motives.

I do enjoy giving. I enjoy the search for the perfect gift. I delight in seeing the facial expressions and body language when the recipient opens it. I even love gift wrapping and sparkly tissue paper. But I need to ask myself: why do I do it?

Did I bake that batch of cookies just to hear how buttery and delicious they were, or did I do it because I genuinely cared and empathized with the recipient’s tough week? Did I tie a beautiful ribbon around the cookies to receive praise for the presentation as I delivered, or did I secretly leave the cookies where the recipient could be pleasantly surprised?

Reading these four verses this week has led me to reflect more deeply. How can I be more intentional about reflecting God’s generosity? Am I only giving to those within my comfort zone, or am I extending my generosity beyond familiar circles?

When I read these verses, I was also struck by the number of verbs that describe how we should give. Will you join me in prayer, asking God to reveal to us who to serve? Let’s ask Him to transform our hearts so that we only desire to give in secret, seeking no praise or recognition. It’s not only about how much, but how we give.

Julie Christensen
Senior Director of Silo Center

New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org