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These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: … “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”—Matthew 10:5–8
Imagine standing on the edge of a great battlefield, but instead of weapons, you are given words of life, hands to heal, and a heart full of compassion. This is the scene as Jesus commissions His disciples in Matthew 10. They weren’t trained soldiers or influential leaders—they were ordinary people entrusted with an extraordinary mission: to declare that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
But what does that mean? The kingdom of heaven is not a distant reality, nor is it a concept reserved for religious scholars. It is the reign and rule of God breaking into our world, transforming lives, and offering hope to a broken humanity. Jesus sent His disciples to not just talk about the kingdom but to demonstrate its power. They were called to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons.
This mission wasn’t about their abilities; it was about the authority and grace of God working through them. Notice the key phrase: “Freely you have received, freely give.” Everything they were called to do was rooted in the generous gift of God’s power and love.
Fast forward to today: this same commission is given to us. The world is still in need of healing, restoration, and the proclamation of hope. People are sick—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Outcasts are longing for belonging. Many are spiritually dead, and the forces of darkness still seek to enslave. The call to action is just as urgent as it was for those first disciples. …
The mission of the gospel is urgent, transformative, and generous. As followers of Christ, we are called to proclaim the kingdom, serve with compassion, and give freely of what we have received.—Mark T. Watson1
Our generous God
My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:19
God doesn’t just love; he lavishes us with love (1 John 3:1). He doesn’t dole out wisdom; he “gives generously to all without finding fault” (James 1:5). He is rich in “kindness, tolerance and patience” (Romans 2:4). His grace is “exceedingly abundant” (1 Timothy 1:14) and “indescribable” (2 Corinthians 9:14–15).
He overflowed the table of the prodigal with a banquet, the vats at the wedding with wine, and the boat of Peter with fish, twice. He healed all who sought health, taught all who wanted instruction, and saved all who accepted the gift of salvation.
God “supplies seed to the sower and bread for food” (2 Corinthians 9:10). The Greek verb for “supplies” (epichoregeo) pulls back the curtain on God’s generosity. It combines “dance” (choros) with the verb “to lead” (hegeomai). It literally means “to lead a dance.” When God gives, he dances for joy. He strikes up the band and leads the giving parade. He loves to give.
He dispenses his goodness not with an eyedropper but a fire hydrant. Your heart is a Dixie cup, and his grace is the Mediterranean Sea. You simply can’t contain it all. So let it bubble over. Spill out. Pour forth. “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).—Max Lucado
The widow’s mite
Jesus and His disciples were in the temple observing people giving their offerings. A wealthy man approached the coffer, drawing attention to the fact that he was giving a considerable sum. Following him was a widow. As quickly as she could, she dropped in two very small copper coins, the smallest denomination of coin she could have given. After Jesus and the disciples witnessed her humble gift, to the disciples’ astonishment, Jesus told them she had given more than anyone else, for in her poverty she had given all that she had (Luke 21:1–4).
Putting myself in the widow’s shoes, I could imagine that she didn’t feel proud of her offering. She knew what one could or couldn’t buy with a couple of copper coins, but she didn’t tell herself it was “too little” to make a difference.
The Bible doesn’t tell us anything else about this widow, but one could reasonably conclude that if she had more money, she would have been generous with it. That’s the thing with living a generous life—we can always ask ourselves, “What can I give or share? What do I have that someone around me needs?”
When I look at the world today, I find the needs are overwhelming. It’s easy to wonder if the little that we give will make a significant difference. But instead of making excuses for myself, I find it helpful to have a plan in place to ensure we are giving on a regular basis. Here’s what we do:
- Automation: Every month, we have a few places we give to without having to think about it.
- Giving time: This can be volunteering for a project, school, or church, but can also look like having a coffee date with someone in need of a friend, helping someone file their taxes or fill their prescriptions, or anything that keeps us reaching out to others.
- Spontaneous opportunities: It’s helpful to be on the lookout to spot opportunities to give to others as they present themselves. Sometimes it’s good to allow our giving to move outside our comfort zone, even if it’s a little inconvenient or impractical.
Whether we’re giving from our abundance or from scarcity, we can always give something to bless others. As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8).—Marie Alvero
Life-changing generosity
When we hear the words “giving” and “generosity,” we typically think in terms of financial donations. Yet, we have far more to offer than money. For example, we can leverage our influence to help someone else gain an opportunity they wouldn’t otherwise have.
In 1792, on a chilly December day in Salzburg, Austria, an unmarried embroiderer gave birth to her third child, a baby boy named Joseph Mohr. The child’s father had deserted the mother immediately upon learning about the pregnancy. The abandoned mother, already short on money, was fined a year’s worth of wages for having conceived a child out of wedlock.
With an absentee father and an impoverished mother, Joseph’s life prospects were dim. This was especially true in the late 18th century, when so-called “illegitimate children” were socially stigmatized. They were routinely denied apprenticeships and educational opportunities.
One place where Joseph felt accepted was at his local church, where he sang in the choir. The cathedral’s vicar, Johan Nepomuk Hiernle, took notice of the boy’s musical talent, and intervened on Joseph’s behalf so that he could receive an education. Joseph did well in school, and he excelled musically, learning to play the guitar, violin, and organ. Eventually, he decided to enroll in seminary.
Joseph’s plans were blocked, however, as his illegitimate birth prevented him from studying for the priesthood. Hiernle again came to his aid, successfully seeking an exemption so that the young man could attend seminary. After completing his studies, Joseph was ordained, and then appointed as priest of a small parish in Oberndorf.
His second year at the church, Joseph scrambled to pull together a concert for Christmas mass. He had written a poem and shared it with a friend whom he asked to compose a melody to go with it. Joseph’s friend obliged, and together they performed the song for the congregation on Christmas Eve. The tune, “Silent Night,” has gone on to become a holiday favorite, popular with churches and carolers almost 200 years later.
If not for a kind-hearted vicar, who generously used his connections to aid a fatherless, underprivileged young boy, “Silent Night” would likely never have been written or sung.—The John Maxwell Company2
The blessed life
God’s gifts to us come in all types of packages—many visible, most not. They arrive as basic material needs, such as clothes and food. He gives us intangible spiritual treasures, such as love and truth. As infants, we receive incredible birthday presents, from sight to movement. The list of God’s gifts is inexhaustible. James 1:17 tells us that every good thing we possess has come special delivery from God.
In Matthew 10, Jesus sent His disciples to preach the gospel. He said, “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ … Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:1–8).
Verse 8 contains a basic biblical principle for a blessed life. Whatever God has given us will be used for His glory when we freely give it back to Him for others’ benefit. As with the first disciples, God has given us the message of the gospel to share. As we do, we have the authority to be conduits of healing and blessing every day. God’s Spirit inhabits us. He is perfect love, joy, peace, patience and kindness. ... We received these blessings freely, and freely we must give them away.
So what gifts has God given you? Ask God to tell you how, where, and to whom you can freely give them away. As you use them to serve others, you will experience the blessed life.—NewSpring Church3
Published on Anchor July 2026. Read by Jon Marc. Music by Michael Fogarty.
1 Mark T. Watson, "Freely Give: Living the Gospel with Power and Compassion," sermons.logos.com, https://sermons.logos.com/sermons/1419166-freely-give:-living-the-gospel-with-power-and-compassion.
2 The John Maxwell Company, Generosity: It Doesn’t Cost a Penny to Pay It Forward (December 30, 2013).
3 NewSpring Church, “Freely You Have Received, Freely Give,” newspring.cc, https://newspring.cc/devotionals/the-blessed-life/freely-you-have-received-freely-give.
