As ministers of vision, do we know what this life of generosity looks like? Can we articulate to ourselves as well as others the qualities and characteristics of a disciple whose heart is generous--where compassion is overflowing? Let me extend the challenge to each of us as high priests--not just the bishops among us--to ensure that we have captured in our own lives the essence of generosity and then are committed to helping cast the vision among our people. Might we even be so bold as to think that we may through our conviction actually “stir the hearts of the people as never before” (Doctrine and Covenants 154:5) so each might catch a glimpse of their own unique potential of how the spirit of generosity can come alive within them.

We know that God is the foundation of generosity. God so loved the world that he gave us Jesus. We know that we have been created in the image of God. We can see the evidence of a generous God everywhere we look. We know we are called to share with gratitude and joyfulness.

But generosity is more than knowledge. Its source comes more from the heart than from the head. As we have been saying now for nearly three years, it is not about formulas, quotas and calculations. It is about values, choices, and compassion. It is being convinced that God continues to create an abundant world with enough and to spare. It could be a world where “your plenty will supply what they need, so in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality. He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little” (2 Corinthians 8:14-15 NIV). It would be about saying “no” to my wants so I could say “yes” to my neighbors’ needs.

Within the next couple of weeks I would invite you to put into words how you would express the meaning of your “disciple’s generous response.” We have heard this phrase many times since the World Conference of 2002, but have we internalized its meaning and considered its application personally. Has it truly stirred our hearts? Has it really changed our lives? Can others look to our lifestyle and see the vision of a generous disciple? (See the box below that presents the six principles of a “Disciple's Generous Response” to guide your thoughts.)

For me, in the spirit of gratitude, my lifestyle commitment is to make every sharing, saving, and spending decision with an understanding of how it will influence my ability to be as generous as I can for as long as I live. The celebration for me is not so much in the destination as it is in the journey. It’s about looking for those in need as their paths “just happen to” intersect mine.

 For several years when my wife was home with the children and teaching piano at the house, we determined that the salary I was earning from my job at the bank was sufficient for meeting our family’s needs and wants. For each of those years we chose to put all of the money Cindy earned from piano lessons into a “Faith Ledger Account” that would be shared with people as their need was made known to us. The only rules: the decision needed to be spirit-lead and it all had to be used each year. We still have those ledgers and we still have the memories of many wonderful testimonies.

Tony grew up poor but was taught by his Baptist parents to tithe. When he married and started earning a good deal of money he asked the question most of us don’t. What are we going to do with it? “My wife and I decided early on to establish what I consider to be a decent standard of living. It is not affluent. It certainly isn't poverty. We have remained at that same level of life for more than thirty-five years now. We live in the same house. We drive second-hand cars. Our clothing tastes remain largely the same.” 

He continues, “We asked ourselves whether this extra money should seduce us into a higher standard of living or whether we should put the money in a place where it counts for church and the kingdom.” That is when he started the Evangelical Association for Promotion of Education by pooling surplus funds along with some of his friends and began to help persons in Haiti, Dominican Republic, Africa and the U.S. “If you maintain a standard of life, as your income increases, you have this huge chunk of money to invest in ministry.” 

The scripture from I John 3:17-18 NIV profoundly shaped his journey toward generosity: “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth”. Campolo said, “That passage of scripture stirred in me and motivated me more than anything else has done. Stewardship grows out of my life with this passage. The question was never, how much should I give? Now the question is how much should be left over after I finish giving? Giving becomes primary.”

So, what’s next? You have read about what generosity means: to those inspired to write our scripture, to Tony Campolo, and to me. You now have at least a starting thought as to what it means to you. You have read the six principles of a “Disciple’s Generous Response”. You can go to the Presiding Bishopric web page at http://www.CofChrist.org/generosity/ to gain an even broader understanding. Your commitment to the ministry of first envisioning generosity and then sharing that vision is crucial. It must not be just a role for the bishops.

What does generosity look like? And how is it created in the heart and soul of the disciple? It starts with vision! It is illustrated by lifestyle. It counters selfishness with sufficiency. It clarifies “enough” in the light of those in need. The generous-hearted disciple acknowledges day after day that God is the owner of all and as disciples of Jesus Christ we each can choose to say “yes” to joy, to freedom, and to peace.

May you be blessed with wisdom, courage and perspective as you live out your generous response as a disciple of Jesus Christ. How will you choose to use your resources for your needs and for the needs of others? Will you be prepared as was the Good Samaritan to stop--to consider what you have to offer--and then to say “yes?”