Christian Generosity | Morning Routine Daily Devotional for December 20

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. – Acts 4:32-35 ESV

The Book of Acts shows the Holy Spirit’s work through the apostles. In today’s passage, we get a glimpse of what Christian generosity looked like in the first-century church. By the time we come to chapter 4, thousands have already become Christians. And, according to Luke, these believers ‘had everything in common’, which extended to their priorities and their intentions. 

Luke reports that there was not a needy person among them; they had all they needed, because of the generosity of the believers. The early church was known for their compassion and generosity for one another. 

As Christians today, it is good for us to consider what it means to be generous. For starters, consider the generosity of God in your life! He sets the bar. So as a Christ follower, ask the Lord to help you see real needs that He would use you to address. As a teacher or parent, consider how can we involve our children in the act of giving. For example, recently some Christian school seniors raised money to replace a school custodian’s pickup truck after it was destroyed by fire. In only a few days they raised enough for a brand-new replacement! The school and community came together and provided for a need! This Christmas season, let’s follow the Lord’s lead and be marked by our generosity!