Fearing God from A to Z

G is for Generous

The smell of warm chocolate filled the kitchen. I carefully lifted chocolate chip cookies from the baking sheet onto a plate. Ten seconds later my four-year-old granddaughter ran into the room with a question on her face. She didn't have to say a word. 

"Yes, you can have one but only one," I said smiling.

As I scooped dough onto the baking sheet, Lily took a cookie in each hand, which was unusual for her. 

"Didn't you hear me say only one?"

"Yes," she held out a cookie. "This one is for you." 

"Ahh, how thoughtful," I accepted her gift. "Thank you, sweetheart." 

Some children seem born on the considerate side, while the rest of us have to learn as we go. Still, we like giving things to others, especially the people  in our families. Jesus used that tendency to help us understand God's generosity. He said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11)

In some ways the fear of God can be considered the imitation of the God. Psalm 112:9 says giving to the poor is one of the characteristics those who fear the Lord have in common with Him. Like Father, like child in everyday, visual ways. 

"A generous person devises generous things and by generosity he stands"

(Isaiah 32:8)  

I love the way some verses leave no room for misunderstanding. A lifestyle of generosity is clearly one of the things God likes to see in His children. Giving to others across our table, across the street, and across the ocean, shows we trust God to keep meeting our needs. 

The more I learn about fearing God, the more I see how practical it is. Our fear of Him can be heard in our prayers, praise, and thanksgiving. But it can also be seen in the simplicity of sharing. Even if it's just a cookie.