Live Generous

They are both great resources to help you see yourself as God sees you. Remember that’s the first step in this process. To Live LIGHT we need to live out of our God-given identity. Go and print our copies for yourself this week. I’ve included the link in the notes.

Are you daily reading about Jesus? Are you daily reading elsewhere in your Bible? How’s that going? What is the Spirit teaching you? We have a Bible Reading Plan on Generosity today for you. Use it this week if you’d like. Have you been reading something else at your level or higher? Keep it up. You’re opening the door for good things to happen.

Did you listen for an hour to God last week? How was that? If it’s brand new to you, it is a discipline and those take time to develop. It’s also a tool to help align your heart with His heart. When that’s led by your time in the Word, it is life transforming.

Today we move on to living generous. While this is not about giving money to the church, I thought I should remind you that I can no longer be convinced that the tithe is for today. It’s never directly taught in the New Testament and it’s non-existent in the early church.

What the Bible does lay down for us is generosity. And it tells us our financial giving should be done:

Giving should be done: Thoughtfully - 2 Cor 9:7a ; Joyfully - 2 Cor 9:7c ; Regularly - 1 Cor 16:2; and Proportionately - 2 Cor 8:12.

So, if you can do that with the tithe…awesome. My only concerns for you are what I’ve experienced myself. Never give to stave off the wrath of an angry God - because He’s not angry. Never adopt an “I gave at the office” mentality - because we need to live generously.

What I want to talk to you about today is living generously towards others.

One of the best ways we can live generously towards other is to listen to their stories.

Bonheoffer has said, “The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship is listening to them. Just as the love of God begins with listening to His word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is listening to them. It is God’s love for us that He not only gives us His word, but also lends us His ear.”

And I thought the best example we could have is Jesus and how he took time to listen to others.

Jesus was willing to touch people Matthew 8:1-4, Mark 5:25-34,Mark 10:13-16

Jesus was willing to look at people Mark 10:17-27, Luke 19:1-10, Mark 10:46-52

Jesus was willing to listen to people Luke 24:13-39, John 4:7-26

There is a transforming significance and profound simplicity in learning to listen to others.

We honour them by hearing their stories. And we get something out of it for ourselves as well…

Proverbs 11:25

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Whenever we do something to bless others, we can be refreshed by refreshing them. But we’ll take some time to on listening today because..

Dietrich Bonheoffer has also said, “Christians so often think they must always contribute something when they are in the company of others – that is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking.”

Christ as our example

1. Jesus was willing to listen to understand another person’s perspective.

Luke 24:17-20

"What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. Cleopas asked the Lord, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" "What things?" Jesus asked. (Luke 24:17-20)

Jesus knew how to ask informative questions that allowed Him to find out what was really important to people.

To be good listener, I need to ask what, why, when, where and how type questions that draw people out.

2. Jesus did not just listen to what people said.

When Jesus’ mother said to her son, "They have no more wine." Jesus said,

John 2:3-9

"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" My time has not yet come. His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water… now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. (John 2:3-9)

The Lord listened to people’s emotions, ideas, and implications. Jesus listened in a way that helped Him identify a person’s need. Jesus listened not only for the words, but for the sense of urgency in the tone of people’s voices.

To be good listener, I need to listen for the sense of urgency in the tone of people’s voices.

3. Jesus was willing to put away negative feelings, grudges, hurts or misunderstandings to really hear what people were saying.

The Samaritan woman at the well said,

John 4:9

"You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans)

Jesus risked being accused of becoming ceremonially unclean if he used a drinking vessel handled by a Samaritan, since the Jews held that all Samaritans were unclean.

To be good listener, I need to see what God sees, not what’s obvious to the world.

4. Jesus was willing to listen without interrupting.

Mark 1:35

The Lord learned how to listen to His heavenly Father every morning in prayer.

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35)

To be good listener, I need to listen to God through His word and in my prayer times.

5. Jesus spent a great deal of time listening to people who were hurting.

Mark 1:32-34

"That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases." (Mark 1:32-34)

By listening to each person’s specific problem the Lord showed that He was interested in more than just physical healing, but also emotional, social and spiritual restoration.

To be good listener, I need to learn the art and science of listening for all kinds of reasons why people are hurting.

6. Jesus asked questions to direct people toward the essential problems in their life.

John 14:5-6

Thomas said to Jesus, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

The Lord was able to quickly discern the differences between what was essential and nonessential information. When you embrace the same purposes of Christ you will gain discernment in listening for essential bits of information.

To be a good listener, I need to learn to answer questions to the essential truths.

Your daily time in the Word helps with that.

7. Jesus listened for a progressive level of information.

John 3:3,4

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." Nicodemus said, "How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!"(John 3:3,4)

Jesus put out a choice piece of spiritual truth to see how well Nicodemus was ready for higher levels of truth. The Lord was able to acquire information about people by letting one piece of information teach Him volumes about people’s spiritual maturity level.

To be a good listener, I need to move from the visible to invisible truths when people are asking it.

10 Tools for Effective Listening

1. Face the speaker – maintain eye contact if you’re listening to a women. Men communicate best staring ahead.

2. Be attentive, yet relaxed.

3. Keep an open mind – do not judge.

4. Listen to the words and try to picture in your mind the event or thought being described.

5. Do not interrupt! Wait for the speaker to pause to ask limited clarifying questions.

6. Ask questions for clarification only, not to probe for further details or to be intrusive.

7. Do not impose your solutions or try to fix.

8. Try to feel what the speaker is feeling.

9. Give the speaker regular feedback; restate, summarize, reflect, validate, encourage.

10. Pay attention to what isn’t said – feelings, facial expressions, gestures, posture or other non-verbal cues.

I’m Not Listening by Ann Golding

When I’m thinking about an answer while others are talking, I’m not listening.

When I give unsolicited advice, I’m not listening.

When I suggest they shouldn’t feel the way they do, I’m not listening.

When I apply a quick fix, I’m not listening.

When I fail to acknowledge their feelings, I’m not listening.

When I fail to maintain eye contact, I’m not listening.

When I don’t ask follow-up questions, I’m not listening.

When I top their story with a bigger, better story of my own, I’m not listening.

When they share a difficult experience and I counter with one of my own, I’m not listening.

Really, all I have to do is listen. I don’t have to talk, just listen.

Learn to listen, to each other and to everyone who needs to tell you their story.

Proverbs 16:21

“The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.”

Living LIGHT Challenge

This is one you're already doing. You do it naturally

Every week - Bless 3 people - 1 inside church, 1 outside church, 1 your choice

“Blessing” can be anything from an intentional word of encouragement, to really listening to their story, to painting their house. They all count as one.

You’ve got to listen to the ones you want to bless - story about friend wanting to get others to church.

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