Generosity: Willing Hearts, Stirred Within

In this compelling message regarding stewardship and sacrificial giving, Chuck Swindoll explores the spiritual dynamic between a “stirred heart” and an “open hand.” He opens with a touching story titled “Something for Stevie,” about a truck stop busboy with Down syndrome who underwent heart surgery. When truckers learned of the financial burden on Stevie and his widowed mother, they left thousands of dollars in cash tucked inside napkins, illustrating that true generosity is always triggered by the heart rather than mere logic [13–28].

Turning to the Old Testament, Swindoll contrasts the Exodus with the Tabernacle construction. He notes that while God’s deliverance from Egypt made the Israelites grateful, it did not make them generous. Receiving gifts (freedom, manna, water) can spoil a person, but participating in a project for God’s glory fosters true generosity [29–33]. Examining Exodus 25 and 31, Swindoll identifies four elements God used to stir the people: a clear directive, a call for specific gifts, a stated objective, and a requirement to rest and reflect.

Swindoll highlights a fascinating shift in Exodus 35: when Moses presents these commands to the people, he moves the Sabbath instruction (rest and reflect) to the very top of the list. Before asking for gold or silver, Moses commanded the people to go home, stop working, and be quiet before God. The result was a flood of giving so overwhelming that Moses eventually had to issue a command to restrain the people from bringing more. Swindoll concludes by challenging the congregation to set aside a specific day—free from cooking, television, or distraction—to “rest and reflect” on God’s goodness before deciding on their contribution [56–58, 69, 84].

Message Key Facts:

• Gratitude vs. Generosity: Swindoll distinguishes between the two, noting that the Exodus (receiving freedom) made Israel grateful, but the Tabernacle (giving to God) made them generous. He argues, “You’re never made generous by receiving… It’s when you personally get involved in a project for the greater glory of God”.
• The “Something for Stevie” Illustration: A story of truckers leaving over $10,000 in cash on breakfast tables for a busboy with Down syndrome. Swindoll uses this to prove that “generosity and heart-stirring emotions go hand in hand,” and that facts and figures alone rarely move people to give [27–29].
• The Four Divine Prompts: God used four specific methods to prepare the people to give:
  1. A Clear Directive: “Raise a contribution for Me”.
  2. Specific Gifts: A detailed list including gold, silver, skins, and acacia wood.
  3. A Stated Objective: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me”.
  4. Rest and Reflection: The command to observe the Sabbath.
• Moses’ Reordering of Priorities: When Moses addressed the people in Exodus 35, he changed the order God gave him. He placed the Sabbath command first. Swindoll suggests Moses understood that “your heart isn’t stirred in the fast lane,” and the people needed quiet reflection before they could give sacrificially [56–59, 64].
• The Unsung Craftsmen: Swindoll highlights Bezalel and Oholiab (Exodus 31), Spirit-filled craftsmen appointed by God. He emphasizes that God values the blue-collar skills of cabinet making and artistry just as much as leadership [47–49].
• The “Stop” Command: The response to the building campaign was so enthusiastic that Exodus 36 records Moses issuing a proclamation to stop giving because they had “more than enough.” Swindoll calls this a “remarkable response” that every pastor dreams of [7, 68–69].
• The “Rest and Reflect” Challenge: Swindoll breaks his usual pattern of not giving public invitations by asking the congregation to stand if they are willing to commit a future Saturday to silence and prayer—no cooking, no fires, no distractions—to ask God what they should give [71, 87–88].

Message References:

• Exodus 25:1–9: The Lord’s instruction to Moses to raise a contribution from “every man whose heart moves him” and the specific list of materials required.
• Exodus 35:1–5: Moses assembles the congregation and prioritizes the Sabbath command (“work may be done for six days”) before asking for the contribution.
• Exodus 35:21: “Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the Lord’s contribution”.
• Exodus 36:4–7: The craftsmen report that the people are bringing “much more than enough,” leading to the command to restrain the people from giving further.
• Exodus 31:1–6: The calling of Bezalel and Oholiab, filled with the Spirit of God for craftsmanship [47–49].
• Exodus 31:12–17: The specific instruction regarding the Sabbath as a sign between God and Israel.

Message Speaker:

Pastor Chuck Swindoll