NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE—Have you ever known someone who is crazy generous? Not the guy who occasionally drops a few coins in the tip box at Starbucks. I’m talking about those people who love to give and who live to give. Are you one of those extremely rare extreme givers?

Luke recorded a story about a woman who didn’t have much, but all she had, she gave to Jesus. She gave joyfully and sacrificially. She was not a pious religious woman. She was a woman with a past. A sinful past. A shameful past. A past filled with regret. But she gave Jesus her all and her best.

The reason for her extreme generosity was simple. Here’s how Jesus explained it to his small group of Rhodes Scholars.

“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” (Luke 7:47)

Those who have been forgiven much, love much. Those who suppose they have been forgiven little, love little.

This idea of reciprocating love is the explanation for crazy generosity. So, if we have been forgiven much, we will show much generosity, but if we have been forgiven little we will show little generosity.

Two summary thoughts about generosity from this story in Luke’s Gospel:

1. Generosity is an expression of love and gratitude.
2. Generosity is a response to being forgiven.

I have been forgiven much, therefore I should be extremely generous. What about you, have you been forgiven much, or little?