It’s not just about giving, but about giving in a way that challenges societal norms and personal comfort, inspired by the radical generosity of God.
She is well-loved but often judged as being naive. Her generosity—details I won’t provide here—shocks family and friends. Many of her friends believe she allows herself to be taken advantage of by those who come to her for help. What they don’t understand is her motivation.
As she once disclosed, when I brought her family’s concerns to her to see if I could influence her to consider other factors: “You see, Father, God has blessed me, and I see myself continuing God’s work by blessing others. My family and friends might not like it, but I answer to God, not to them.” Her motivation stems from a holy desire to serve others without judging them, reflecting Christ’s teaching to “give to everyone who asks you” (Luke 6:30).
The Scandal of Generosity
Radical generosity can sometimes be scandalizing. It can appear outrageous to offer one’s time, talents, and treasure to those who may never give back. Being generous to those perceived as undeserving is frequently misunderstood, perceived as naïve or impractical by onlookers.
The ungenerous, such as those depicted in James 5:1-6, find ample excuses to exploit the less fortunate. They justify their actions, convincing themselves of their entitlement to more, while neglecting justice and compassion. In contrast, the generous perceive the world through a different lens, driven by a commitment to uplift others rather than to hoard resources.
This generous spirit can seem disruptive to established traditions. It challenges the conformity and comfort we often find in our relationships and communities. True generosity can unsettle our equilibrium, prompting us to reevaluate our norms and expectations.
In many faith communities, there is an ongoing tension between preserving order and embracing the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit. Those endowed with charismatic gifts—such as prophecy, healing, or speaking in tongues—may manifest these gifts in ways that diverge from communal norms. This raises important questions: How should we respond when individuals act outside the established norms of faith communities? In organizational contexts, how do we balance conformity with the creativity that comes from embracing unfamiliar expressions?
The Expectation of Order Versus Divine Generosity
We all expect how things should be based on our experiences, beliefs, cultural norms, and shared understandings. Often, these expectations create barriers, especially when we feel that certain practices or gifts belong exclusively to a particular group. But what happens when God’s radical generosity breaks through those boundaries?
The Book of Numbers (Chapter 11) speaks directly to these issues. As the people wander in the desert, Moses finds himself overwhelmed by the burdens of leadership. God, in his generosity, intervenes by instructing Moses to gather seventy elders to help carry the weight of leadership. “I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone” (Numbers 11:17). This act of sharing leadership is God’s way of addressing the needs of the people and showing his providence.
At the same time, the Israelites started to complain about lack of food. God provides for their physical needs by sending quails from the sea (Numbers 11:31-32). These actions confirm a central truth: God is both generous and provident. He supplies the needs of his people, whether they require leadership or sustenance.
God’s Spirit Knows No Boundaries
The story takes an interesting turn when two of the chosen elders, Eldad and Medad, do not go to the tent where God was to bestow his spirit. Yet, despite their absence, they still receive the spirit and begin to prophesy in the camp (Numbers 11:26). This incident illustrates a profound truth: God’s generosity is not bound by location or human expectations. His spirit extends beyond the confines of a specific community or place.
When Joshua, Moses’ assistant, urges him to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying, Moses responds with wisdom: “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put His spirit on them!” (Numbers 11:29).
Moses recognizes that God’s radical generosity is not to be confined. Just as Moses’ spirit is not diminished when shared with the elders, so does God’s spirit flow freely, without loss or corruption.
This truth echoes in the New Testament when Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). No one can contain or control the outpouring of the divine spirit.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the early Church in Acts of the Apostles chapter two was another example of the scandalizing divine radical generosity. Who among the people in Israel at the time would’ve believed that these rural and ordinary farmers, most of whom did not belong to any nobility, would receive such gifts and power? Who would’ve thought that itinerant followers of an itinerant preacher would receive such utterances of the Divine Spirit? The unexpected distribution of God’s grace humbles us and opens our minds to the limitlessness of divine generosity. “God’s ways are not our ways” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Jesus and the Scandal of Generosity
Jesus continues this theme in the Gospel of Mark (Chapter 9). The disciples, particularly John, are concerned when they see someone casting out demons in Jesus’ name who is not part of their group.
John tells Jesus, “We told him to stop because he was not one of us” (Mark 9:38). But Jesus, the Christ, embodying and endorsing the radical generosity of God, replies: “Do not stop him… for whoever is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:39-40).
Just like Joshua was the closest of Moses’ allies, so is John Jesus’ most beloved ally. Yet both men got it wrong. It tells us that our being very close to Christ’s heart doesn’t mean we can judge wrongly too. Many times, we err in our human judgement.
Why We Err in Judgment?
John’s hesitation likely stemmed from familiar concerns: This man is not part of our group. He does not follow the same teachings or belong to the same community. He doesn’t see things from our perspective.
There could also be the spirit of envy preventing us from appreciating divine work in unfamiliar places. How often do we find ourselves in similar positions, passing judgment on others based on superficial differences? We frequently fail in our decisions because we do not know the hearts of those we judge. God’s generous spirit is always full of surprises; we often miss the bigger picture.
Yet, Jesus sees beyond these barriers. He explains further that “whoever gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward” (Mark 9:41). Even the smallest act of generosity, if done in Christ’s name, is valuable in God’s eyes. Jesus reminds us that God’s grace extends beyond our understanding, and his rewards are not limited to those we deem worthy.
Embracing the Divine Mission
For leaders and believers alike, the challenge is clear. How do we maintain order and promote good wherever it is found? How do we maintain tradition while allowing the Holy Spirit to work freely, especially knowing that abuses of gifts can harm the body of Christ, as seen in the Church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 12) and many times in history? The answer lies in adopting the attitudes of Moses and Christ’s Spirit—openness to and embrace of divine radical generosity.
Moses welcomed the outpouring of God’s spirit, eager to see more of God’s work, not less. Likewise, Jesus provided clear criteria as follows.
- If a mighty work is done in the name of Christ, we do not stop it (Mark 9:39).
- If the worker does not speak against Christ, we let them continue.
- If the worker is not against Christ, we allow them to proceed.
- When a worker helps others by providing basic needs because they see the recipients as belonging to Christ, and they are generous to believers for Christ’s sake, we do not hinder them.
Jesus makes his judgment clear: a generous service, even if it comes from unfamiliar places, is rewarded (v. 41).
In other words, for Christ, whenever and wherever good is done, God is honored, and such work must never be stopped. This is a lesson for believers.
Radical Generosity: A Divine Lesson
Divine generosity is a lesson for believers. God’s Word invites us to the embrace of radical generosity—not only in our giving but in our openness to the diverse and surprising ways God’s spirit moves in the world.
Let us be generous in offering ourselves, our resources, and our acceptance of God’s promptings, for in doing so, we bring praise to the One who gives without measure. As Jesus reminds us, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).
[Readings, Sunday Week 26: Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43; 45, 47-48]
