I am encouraged when I see Christians live out their faith in everyday moments. Following Jesus has a way of opening our eyes to the people around us and softening our hearts toward their needs. Discipleship shapes us into people who notice, care, and respond to others, often in quiet, ordinary ways.
One of the most encouraging things about the church is how believers step up when needs are visible. You bring a meal to a family who just welcomed a new baby. You sit with a grieving friend who doesn’t want to be alone. You watch a neighbor’s kids, so Mom or Dad can attend an important appointment. You take time to pray with someone after a hard conversation. These efforts may seem small, but they are powerful expressions of Christ-like love.
Acts of kindness matter greatly. They encourage weary hearts, strengthen relationships, and point people to the goodness of God. Many require little more than time, presence, and compassion. But discipleship eventually leads us to wrestle with a more challenging question: what about the moments when loving our neighbor carries a financial cost?
What about the single mom whose car breaks down at the worst possible time? Or the college student trying to stay in school while juggling tuition and rent? Or the church member quietly choosing between prescriptions and groceries? These needs are less visible but no less real.
It is one thing to feel compassion and another entirely to be financially positioned to act on it. At times, following Jesus calls us to put more than words on the table. It calls us to act with our resources. Another issue comes when a Christian desires to be generous but is not financially prepared to be generous. This is where financial discipleship becomes essential. If our lives are being formed by Christ, then our finances must be shaped with purpose, so generosity is possible when the moment comes.
Jesus illustrates this clearly in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30–37). After tending the
wounded man, the Samaritan took him to an inn and
ensured ongoing care. Luke 10:35 says, “And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.”
The Samaritan did not hesitate. He had both compassion and capacity. He was prepared to meet the need before him and willing to absorb the cost. His generosity flowed from readiness. That readiness required foresight, discipline, and intentional stewardship.
Imagine what it would look like if this kind of readiness marked our lives. Discipleship gives us a pathway. Start by praying and asking God to help you be prepared to obey Him when He places opportunities for generosity before you. Consider how your money is currently being used. Look for areas where spending can be reduced, like subscriptions, impulse purchases, or small conveniences that quietly add up.
Take those savings and intentionally set them aside as money designated for generosity. Over time, God will make you more attentive to needs, and you will feel more confident when opportunities arise.
You do not have to be wealthy to live this way. You simply need a plan, consistent habits, and a heart being shaped by Jesus. When financial stewardship becomes part of discipleship, generosity stops being stressful and becomes joyful. And through those everyday acts of faithfulness, God’s love is made visible in powerful ways.
About the Writer: Chris Compton is the CFO of Richland Ave Financial. He graduated in 2007 with an M.A. in Bible exposition from Columbia International University. A 1998 graduate of East Tennessee State University, he has more than two decades of administrative/financial experience in varied fields, and seven years in pastoral ministry.
