Session 2
The Power of Trust
From Prepare the Way
Have you ever wanted to be generous, but felt like you didn’t have enough to make a difference? You’re not alone. In fact, we find two incredible stories in the New Testament about people who didn’t have much to give, but chose to give anyway.
Consider the widow in Luke 21, who had only the least valuable Roman coins, but “out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” (Luke 21:4). She gave to the kingdom even though she couldn’t give “much” by the world’s standards.
In 2 Corinthians, we learn that people in the Macedonian church were struggling financially. And yet, in “their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints” (2 Corinthians 8:2-4).
In both cases, these believers didn’t give because they had an abundance. They gave because they trusted God. Look again at the Macedonian church – “begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part!”
Have you ever heard of a need and then begged God to let you meet it? Back in 2017, NewSpring desperately wanted to be generous — but the church began that year with a $45 million debt balance, largely due to facilities and building projects. NewSpring’s Leadership Team asked God to give us a vision and a plan to get out of debt as a church.
Within six years, the entire debt balance was paid off! This incredible milestone only happened because of the sacrificial generosity of so many. During that same timeframe, we were able to give away close to $25 million to more than 600 organizations.
The kingdom moves at the speed of sacrifice. When we listen to God and obey what He says, we will see Him do far more than we can imagine. And when we give – especially when we don’t think we have enough to make a difference — we are demonstrating that we trust God. As we continue to trust and obey, we will continue to see God do the miraculous, just like the widow and the Macedonian church did.
How easy would it have been for the widow to keep her coins in fear that giving them away would bring her harm? But how faithful of her to give! How understandable would it have been for the Macedonian church to use their own poverty as an excuse not to give? But how faithful of them to meet the needs of the saints!
We want to see everyone everywhere in an everyday relationship with Jesus. This is a God-sized vision, and it will take all of us giving generously, like the widow and the Macedonian church did, trusting that God will care for us as we sacrifice for his kingdom.
Let’s ask God for hearts of generosity — hearts that look not for excuses, but for opportunities to further the kingdom through obedience and trust.
REFLECT: