For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
One of the most-quoted Scriptures in the Bible is John 3:16. It’s the Scripture we use when talking about salvation. I want you to look at that Scripture. It doesn’t say, God so loved the world that He TOOK …
It says, “God so loved the world that He GAVE …” so that everyone who would believe in Jesus, the one whom the Father gave, wouldn’t perish but have eternal life.
And at large, in the Body of Christ, I would tell you that’s not a message that’s widely understood. Why not? Because the revelation of that message would mean that the Body of Christ as a whole would be radically generous.
As strange as it sounds, when you talk to waitresses and waiters on Sundays, they say it’s their worst day of the week. Lunchtime is their worst time. It’s full of the meanest customers and the lowest tips. And that ought not be because that’s not how Jesus is.
On the contrary, Jesus is a generous giver—a radical giver, above and beyond, and He’s reflecting the Father. And don’t we represent Jesus everywhere we go?
Imagine speaking to your waiter or waitress, telling them all about God and how much God loves them. Then, when the time to tip comes around, you break out your calculator to barely tip 15% on a $12 bill.
As believers, we should strive to see people excited when Christians come into their businesses. We should be known for blessing people beyond measure.
And let me say this: I’ve seen so many people come to Jesus because of this principle. Radical generosity makes people want to come to Jesus. We’ve got a short time on this earth. We’re on our last leg, our last lap of the race. It’s time to run the race that’s put before us with diligence and without compromise.
I encourage you to be like Jesus and be radically generous. I have hundreds of testimonies of waiters and waitresses, janitors, airport staff members—people who were touched by the power of God—and the entry point for their transformation was an act of generosity!
Let’s take radical generosity and run with it. Let’s model our Father because He so loved the world that He gave. Will you join me?
Today, go out of your way to demonstrate radical generosity. Don’t just meet the standard—go beyond it. Whether it’s your server, a coworker, or a stranger, look for an opportunity to give extravagantly with no expectation in return. Let your generosity point someone to Jesus.
Father, I thank You that You’re raising an uncompromising generation—ones that would walk in radical forgiveness and ones that would walk in radical generosity so that we can take the spirit of ugly off of Your Bride. Break off any selfishness or hesitation, and teach us to give freely, joyfully, and without expectation. Father, I thank you that your people know that there’s more blessing in giving than receiving. Let our lives reflect Your goodness in such a way that people are drawn to You. Let us give because that’s what love does. In Jesus’ name, amen!
With radical love,
Todd White