Generosity and Spiritual Growth Part 2: Being Rich Toward God

Do you think you are rich? The answer to that question depends on how you define rich. Is being rich having a lot of money, a lot of friends, a lot of loving family? Is being rich about happiness, peace, contentment?

How would you answer the question?

I would answer it this way: To be truly rich is to experience spiritual growth. True, real, lasting spiritual growth. To be rich in spiritual growth requires being rich toward God.

Jesus told a parable about this. Here is what he said in Luke 12:16-21:

“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

In the parable this guy owned land and had a very good harvest. It was so big he could not fit the harvest in his barns. So his idea was to tear his barns down and build bigger ones to store all his grain. Then he reasoned to himself he could now take life easy, eat, drink, and be merry.

The problem with the rich man’s thinking is this: he was not rich towards God. Jesus makes this powerful observation at the end of the parable, and it’s a wake up call to each one of us. Clearly, to experience the spiritual growth you desire requires being rich toward God. I believe there are three broad ways you can be rich toward God:

1. Give God Your Time. God gives you all your time as a gift to you. You can use it as you desire. Give some back to him through pursuing your relationship with Him. Give God time in prayer, time in the Bible, time in worship, time in serving others.

2. Give God Your Talents. Talents refers to the abilities God has given you. You are good at some things…probably many things. Pick one ability you have. How can you use that ability for God?

3. Give God Your Treasure. Do you have a church? Then financially support your church. Are there missionaries you know? Financially help them out. Determine how you can financially support the work of God and do it.

Remember, true spiritual growth requires being rich toward God. Pick one of the three ways above and start today.