Only God, who has infinite wisdom, can take a verse from Psalm 86 and turn it into a teaching of the likes I had never thought about. Verse 8 says, “There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, Nor are there any works like Yours.” The way God works is how we are called to work, but do that we must be willing to change the way we have always worked in order to adapt to His works. Many people are not willing to do this, not because they don’t see the benefit in it, but because the works of God go against the grain of every culture in the world and in the church. I know it sounds crazy, but even the church works in a way that God doesn’t work.

The Holy Spirit began speaking to me about one of the ways He works and it is through generosity. He began to teach me this morning, generosity is a value of the kingdom, while charging is a value of the world. Generosity sees and hears the value of what is being shared freely and then responds with generosity. The challenge is we are so accustomed to being charged for that which is valuable, that when there is no charge attached to value, we can see and hear the value but not respond with generosity. This is why people in the church raise money, share their needs and ask for finances, because if they don’t reveal a charge, most have no clue how to respond in generosity.

We as the church have taught this system of charging, which is a system of the world to the church. We call it tithing. We value the church and God at 10%, so once people give their 10% to the church, most believe they have done their fair share to support the work of God. But that is not the kingdom. The kingdom does not value charging and does not put a limit on generosity. The kingdom of God values our response of generosity. When is the last time you responded to what you heard or saw or felt or experienced with generosity?

I don’t fault people for tithing, for giving offerings or for anything they give, I just think we have taught you to pay for conferences, books, teachings, we call it becoming a partner of the ministry, or whatever, but we have not taught people how to be generous. If you responded in generosity to the places and people who release value only, many would change where they put their money and I believe generosity would break the spirit of poverty. However, it starts with learning how to see, hear and know value and then obeying the still small voice inside of you that nudges you to be generous.

If we did this, one, people would most likely give more than 10% because generosity does not have a limit and two it would cut off the revenue streams to those who do not add any kingdom value to this world, which would cause one system to fall and another rise. What if the answer starts with generosity? Paul said, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Generosity breaks the spirit of poverty in us, henceforth, the call to respond with generosity, not wait to be told how much you are being charged.