Generosity has a face. Have you seen it? What does it look like? Osceola McCarty made national news when she gave a large gift to a university in Mississippi several years ago. Her gift was not the largest gift ever given, but it surprised everyone, nonetheless. Why? Osceola McCarty made her living washing clothes for people. She had never made a large annual income, but she gave a six-figure gift. Her generosity stemmed from the simplicity of her lifestyle. Osceola lived frugally so she could give unselfishly. She lived simply to help others simply live.
The church formed by the Holy Spirit made sure to feed those members who were hungry. Wealthy members gave to Apostles to give to the poor members to meet their needs. Generosity began with their unselfishness. Once people realize their possessions are not their own, giving them away becomes a lot easier. Luke gives this generosity a face, when he names Joseph the Levite from Cypress as one of the benefactors.
Notice not only Joseph’s compassion, but the cost of giving. He had to sell his land. Commentators believe he sold land back home in Cypress. Wherever it was, when he sold it, it was no longer his land. We also observe his submission to the leadership of the Spirit and the church. He placed the full proceeds at the feet of the Apostles. When Joseph gave, he released control of his gift. For what it’s worth, Joe did not designate. This gave the Apostles freedom to use it as the Spirit led. I am not pressing this analogy too far, because I know we do not have Apostles in the church today.
Joseph’s gift so inspired the early church that they gave him a nickname. “Barnabas,” they called him. It means “Son of Encouragement.” Joseph’s generosity gave courage to the Apostles and the members of the church to continue the work. I have never had a church member who carried the name Barnabas as their given name. But I have known many Bar-nabases and Bat-nabases (daughters of encouragement) along the way. We have been bought with a price, so we are not our own. Our things and our whole lives belong to our Redeemer. Generosity has a face. It is the face of God’s grace. Do we see it when we look in the mirror?
