Big Hearted

Joel Morris takes up a question many Christians face: why do we give the way we do? Believers are called to be generous with their money, their time and their abilities, yet it is easy to give out of a sense of duty, to grudgingly surrender pleasures we would rather keep, to feel good about ourselves, or to win the approval of others. Morris argues that these motives fall short of the godly giving Scripture describes.

The author roots generosity in the two great commandments: to love the Lord with all we are and to love our neighbour as ourselves. On this view, giving flows from a heart that has first been captured by God, the one who has given us everything. Rather than simply telling readers that they ought to give, Morris examines the reasons behind giving and the condition of the heart that gives. Christians can afford to be generous because they have received so much. They have not earned their salvation but have received it by trusting in the gift offered to them, and generosity grows naturally from that life in Christ.

Although money is the first thing many people think of when giving is mentioned, the theology Morris sets out applies to many other areas of life. Believers can be generous in serving, in giving money, time and talent, in hospitality, in sharing food and possessions, and in doing good works. The closing chapter invites readers to consider how this theology shapes their everyday lives, asking how the generosity of the gospel might flow through them and how they might reflect the heart of God to the people they meet.

The book is short and focused, written for every Christian who wants to move from reluctant giving to joyful, sacrificial and loving giving.