Jesus regularly made bold claims that turn our vision of the good life on its head. One of the most counter-intuitive is his statement that there is more joy in giving than in receiving, and that freedom is found as we embody God’s generous heart.

Practice: Try a spontaneous act of generosity.

The majority of Jesus’ teachings on money are warnings. He understood that greed poisons us, making us anxious, distracted, discontent, and lonely. But by simplifying our lives, we open ourselves to the freedom of contentment.

Practice: Identify something you own that you do not need, and either give it away, or sell it and give the money to someone in need.

Stewardship is a rich theme throughout the library of scripture and in Jesus’ instruction to his disciples. Biblical stewardship means that God owns everything, that we are entrusted with his resources to do good, and that he blesses us in order to give more.

Practice: Begin listening to God about money and generosity to identify his invitations into stewardship.

Concern for the poor holds a prominent place in God’s heart, and this priority is reflected in Jesus’ teaching and in the practices of his earliest followers. For apprentices of Jesus, the goal isn’t just to share resources with those in need, but to create a new kind of family.

Practice: Share your resources with someone in need. Give to an organization doing good work serving the poor, either globally or locally.