What does it take to become generous? Stories of four women in the Bible

Many of us are interested in learning more about this thing called generosity. We want to know the latest strategies, we study the most efficient tools, we learn all about the benefits of generosity. Those are all good, but as we strive to increase our giving, what is often overlooked are the characteristics necessary to become a generous person.

If we compare/contrast the responses of Zacchaeus and the rich young ruler, we see that it takes more than information to become generous. Both of these men were wealthy, both were highly intelligent, both had an understanding of the religious laws, both sought out Jesus. However, only one man responds generously (Luke 19:1-10, Matthew 19:16-26).

There is more to generosity than knowledge, skill, and money. Generosity begins with the heart. 

So let’s lean into the question, what does it take to become a generous person? 

Here are stories from four women throughout scripture who teach us how to become generous. 

Characteristic #1: Generosity takes vulnerability.

You may recall learning about the woman at the well in John 4. 

To set the stage, Jesus and his disciples are passing through Samaria on their way to another town. Stopping briefly to rest, the disciples leave Jesus at the water well and walk into town to buy food. 

While Jesus awaits their return, a Samaritan woman approaches the well. What is automatically implied about this woman is that she is hiding. She is hiding from her community. 

It was not normal for women to draw water midday, when the sun was at its hottest. Women would travel to the well early in the morning or later in the evening when the air was cool. 

But this woman was choosing to avoid all the comings and goings of her neighbors. She wanted to be alone. Scripture implies that she was an immoral woman. 

She might have been hiding because she could no longer take the ridicule. She might have been carrying an intense weight of guilt or shame. We don’t know. All we know is that in one moment, this woman went from hiding to having a conversation with her Savior. 

She meets Jesus, and in a few brief moments this woman feels seen and loved by God. What does she do next? She runs towards her neighbors. 

She woke up that morning not wanting her secrets to be revealed, but hours later she was sharing her testimony with the world. Scripture says that “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did’” (vs 39). 

This woman led with vulnerability, she was generous with her testimony, and what started as a quick rest stop for Jesus and his disciples became a two day stay. An entire town was introduced to their Messiah because one woman chose to be seen. 

Characteristic #2: Generosity takes a sacrificial heart.

The widow with the two coins breaks many preconceptions we have about generosity. 

In Mark 12 we read that Jesus is sitting in the temple, intentionally watching how much money people place into the treasury. 

He witnesses people giving large sums, but he is not impressed. What Jesus knew was, although the amount of money may have been large, compared to their overall wealth the weight of their sacrifice was small. They were giving out of convenience, from a place of comfort, from a place of abundance. 

In comes the widow. She was living in poverty, among the marginalized, and she only had two coins to her name. She put everything she had into the treasury. 

Now, purely from an economic standpoint she probably gave less than anyone else that day. No one was writing her a thank you letter for her generous gift. 

Her gift wasn’t noticed by man, but it was seen by God himself. 

Jesus turns to his disciples and says,  “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on” (vs. 43-44).

God’s economy works differently than ours. A large gift made out of convenience does not excite our Lord. His scales measure the weight of our sacrifice, and the widow sacrificed all she had. 

Characteristic #3: Generosity takes a sense of urgency. 

If the widow highlights our misconceptions about generosity, this next story will surely do the same. 

In Matthew 26 we read about a woman who anoints Jesus with oil. 

Days before his crucifixion, Jesus is reclining at the table with friends and engaging in fellowship when a woman comes in and, in an act of love, pours a very expensive oil over him. 

Scripture tells us that this oil cost nearly a year’s wages. 

Watching this unfold, some people in the room begin to judge her. “That is wasteful,” they said. “She could have used that money to help the poor.”

Jesus rebukes their judgements. He says they will have a lifetime to help the poor, but they have limited time with Him.

This woman got it. She had a sense of urgency. She used one year’s wages to purchase one bottle of oil to anoint one man. She was not interested in getting the highest ROIs in her kingdom investment; she simply wanted to show love to Jesus while she could. 

A friend of mine recently reminded me that we may get to live eternity with Jesus, but we have a short period of time to live for Him. Once we are in heaven, we cannot sacrifice for Jesus. We cannot preach the Gospel. We cannot save the lost. 

Generosity takes urgency. 

Characteristic #4: Generosity takes a deep love and devotion to Jesus.

At the beginning of Luke 8 we read about the women who financially supported Jesus’ ministry. One of these women was Mary Magdalene. Mary was healed by Jesus and became a loyal follower. She is mentioned more times in the Bible than many of the disciples. 

She was with Jesus at the cross. She was the first person to witness the empty tomb. She was the first person Jesus revealed himself to after his resurrection, and she was the person who carried the message, “Jesus is alive!”

Yes, she was part of the group of women who funded Jesus’ ministry, but her giving was simply one sign of her deep love and devotion to God. She walked with Jesus, she stayed by him in his hour of suffering, she intentionally sought him out. 

Friends, anyone can give. Anyone can write a check. Giving is simply a moment in time. Generosity, on the other hand, is cultivated over a lifetime of walking with Christ. 

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Vulnerability. Sacrifice. Urgency. Love.

I’m not arguing that this is an exhausted list of what it takes to become generous, but I do believe our giving would radically change if we embraced these four words. 

As you reflect on your life, where do you feel God’s invitation to lean in?