In The Decline and Fall of Charity, Clint Rainey provides a helpful analysis of contemporary generosity. Christians are giving more than other groups but significantly less than they gave during The Great Depression. Isn't it interesting that we have more, but give less? In one of the more startling statistics, Rainey states:

Taking a cross-section of church contributions nationwide right now, you’d see they nosedive as you move down the age spectrum. We can only hope that’ll change as today’s youth get older and wealthier, but it isn’t unreasonable to wonder about the cultural implications of sixty-year-olds who are 10 percent more likely to give to the church than are still not-so-youthful churchgoers in their forties and fifties, who, in turn, are 30 percent more likely to give than are those in their thirties, who are then 30 percent more likely to give than are twentysomethings, fewer than a third of whom give anything at all.

It would be more accurate to compare the giving of today's twentysomethings with the twentysomethings of forty years ago rather than current levels of giving. But the article does indicate a drastic overall decline in giving. More than likely, this decline has occurred among all age groups.

Nonetheless, the question remains. How do we become more generous?

We begin by recognizing that our sufficiency is found in God alone. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for us a pearl worth more than a lifetime of wages (Matt.13:45-46). Do you believe that? There is a direct correlation between the value of the gospel for us and our generosity.

The answer to our lack of generosity is not an increase in opportunity to serve. Opportunities abound everywhere. Just ask your neighbor. The answer is in dealing with our mistrust in an all-sufficient Christ. When we recognize our tendancy to horde, we must call upon the mercy of God, and once again seek his forgiveness.

Secondly, we must realize that whatever offering we bring, is given from a heart that is grateful for that which Christ has done for us. "Freely ye have received, freely give." Our generosity is a picture of the generosity of the cross.

It's easy to become paralyzed by the overwhelming need in this fallen world. We can become convinced that the need is far greater than any meager effort we might manage to offer. I know this helpless feeling all too well. As Christians, we don't have the option of claiming ignorance. All of us know what it was like to have been hungy, thirsty, and naked. But the struggle is to daily remind ourselves of how abundantly we have been filled and clothed by Christ.