Thursday, September 10, 2026

Bible in a Year Reading Plan: 1 Samuel 6-10 | 2 Corinthians 12

Acts 5:1-2
But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.

There is a detail about Ananias and Sapphira that is easy to miss. They didn’t have to give all the money.

The early church was growing quickly, and something incredible was happening among these new believers. People were caring for one another in radical ways, like property owners who sold their land and gave the money to help people in need.

Right before we meet Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5, Acts 4 tells us about Barnabas, who also sold a field and brought the money to the apostles. But unlike Barnabas, when Ananias and Sapphira sold their property, they kept some for themselves while pretending they had given everything.

Their problem wasn’t what they kept. It was what they pretended to give.

Luke was showing the early church something important about the kind of community Jesus was building. This new movement couldn’t be built on appearances. If the church was going to be known for radical love, generosity, and trust in God, those things had to be genuine.

Two thousand years later, we still feel pressure to look generous, faithful, and available, like we have it all together.

I know I’ve said yes to something because I wanted to be helpful, even when I knew my schedule was already overflowing. Sometimes, it feels easier to keep saying, “I’ve got it!” than to honestly admit, “I don’t have that to give right now.”

God wants our honest surrender to him, not our performance.

Maybe generosity for you today isn’t writing a big check; maybe it’s increasing your gift by 1-2% each month. Maybe you don’t have an entire afternoon to volunteer, but you have an hour. Maybe you can’t solve someone’s problem, but you can sit with them while they walk through it.

Give what you actually have. We don’t have to make our faith look more impressive than it is. Ananias and Sapphira remind us that genuine faith cannot be built on fake surrender.

So today, instead of asking, “What would look generous?” ask:

“What has God actually placed in my hands that I can genuinely give?”

Then open your hands and give it.

Questions: 
Where in your life are you more concerned with looking surrendered than being completely honest with God about what you’re willing or able to give?

What has God placed in your hands - your time, resources, abilities, attention, or encouragement - that you can genuinely give today?

Next Steps: 
Choose one thing you genuinely have available to give today. It might be an hour of your time, an encouraging text, a meal, a financial gift, or simply your full attention. Give it freely and quietly, without worrying about whether anyone else notices. 

Prayer: 
God, thank you that I don’t have to impress you or pretend to have more to give than I actually do. You already know my heart. Show me where I’ve been more focused on appearances than genuine surrender. Help me to recognize what you have placed in my hands and to trust you enough to give it freely. I want my generosity and my faith to come from an honest heart, not from a desire to be noticed. Teach me to live with open hands and to trust that what I sincerely offer can be used by you. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Series Theme Verse:

John 13:35
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” 

Written by Monique Myers, a regular contributor to the Daily Devotional.