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I went to a charismatic/pentecostal university called ORU. I had some really fun years at the university, got to do a fair amount of international travel with their missions department, and got an up close look this stream of Christianity - a stream I had not necessarily grown up in (I was raised in Presbyterian church). One of my big takeaways from my experience with folks in this word-of-faith movement is people's willingness, readiness, and even eagerness to give financially. It was baked into some of their key phrases:

  • "You can't outgive God"
  • "Sow a seed"
  • "Don't rob me of my blessing"

In other words, it was in the culture of this movement that there was receiving, blessing, and harvest on the other end of their giving.

As we enter into the 12th day of the 12 Days of Christmas, we remember the wise men's willingness, readiness, and even eagerness to give materially to Jesus. Matthew 2:11b says:

"Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh."

The Amplified Bible (in keeping with the Pentecostal/word-of-faith tradition), the Catholic Bible, and the New Living Translation says, "They opened up their treasure chests."

In other words, the picture painted is not a picture of trinkets but of the kind of treasure that may have sustained Joseph and Mary on their journey to Egypt, back, and beyond.

All of this is to say, it's part of the Christian tradition broadly to be prepared, willing, and eager to give in every season.

Paul recounts an experience with a church in Macedonia. 2 Cornthians 8:3-4 says:

"3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—"

Christmas is a season to be generous and to remind us to continue to be generous throughout the year.

It's not just a December thing (although it is).

It's not just a Year-End Giving thing (althought it is).

It's not just a holiday thing (although it is).

It's a year-round giving thing.

It's ok to be lavishly generous as we lean into Epiphany, Lent, and beyond.