Generosity, an unselfish willingness to share. We all have much to give: time, money, skills and resources. Who is the most generous person that you personally know or knew? What did they give to you and to others? Generosity is a fantastic character trait. Yes, we are to “give and take” as we go through life. Yet, givers enter into heart of what it means to enjoy life to the fullest. The film, The Lord of the Rings, introduced the world to hobbits. J.R.R. Tolkien’s fictional characters reside in the Middle Earth. They love to give gifts. When birthdays roll around the hobbits give gifts to other hobbits. That is, instead of receiving a gift on their birthday they gave another hobbit a gift. Every day in the year was somebody’s birthday, therefore every hobbit had a good chance of receiving at least one gift at least once a week. Giving and receiving became intermingled with joy!
Sometimes giving involves personal sacrifice. I read a note years ago that suggested that we should not give until it hurts, but rather we should give until it stops hurting. Press into a lifestyle of generosity.
“It is more blessed to give than to receive” is a statement attributed by the Apostle Paul to the Lord Jesus. Paul himself had penned in Scripture, “God loves a cheerful (hilarious) giver.” “If we sow plentifully, we shall reap plentifully.” The Apostle John reminds us that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should never perish but have everlasting life.” Sometimes giving involves personal sacrifice. I read a note years ago that suggested that we should not give until it hurts, but rather we should give until it stops hurting. Press into a lifestyle of generosity.
A “Little House on the Prairie” television rerun depicts an older Jewish master woodworker exchanging a beautifully crafted walking stick for a beat-up, rusty old bucket. When asked by one of the Ingalls boys why such an unequal exchange, the gentleman explained that there are times when our generosity should never demean the receiver of the gift. Give without even being noticed as a giver. Give both intentionally and give spontaneously. Allow generosity to crown our activities this coming week.