There is so much need in this world, and it feels heavy. A weight that far exceeds our capacity to meet. Requests and opportunities for support, many from important causes, fill our mailboxes and inboxes. How do we live generously, especially when we are struggling to keep our heads above water?
As we journey towards a life of gratitude, we already travel towards a life lived generously. Awareness of how we are blessed tends to open our hearts and our hands. Recognizing we are not any more deserving than the next person, we find ourselves developing an outward posture of thankfulness. When our hearts are full of gratitude, we find our grasp loosen and a desire to share what we are blessed to have.
When Gratitude is our inward posture,
Thanks becomes the outward expression of that gratitude.
Giving is the overflow of our grateful hearts.
We have a desire to give, yet we can still feel that what we have to offer is not enough to make a difference. So we ask, how can we live generously when we feel as if we have nothing to give? In the bible, Luke, chapter 21, there is a story of a poor widow. While the rich are giving treasures out of their abundance, this widow gives only two very small copper coins. When Jesus saw this, he said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” This behavior is not isolated to a story in the bible, centuries old. Research shows that those who have less tend to give more. Why is that?
Simply put, those who have less tend to understand the need and have more compassion towards others in need. They also tend to live more fully focused on the present rather than the future. A mindset that allows them to give out of what they have today, not worrying about holding on for future needs. If there is a need and they have resources today, they give today, unconcerned for tomorrow’s what-if. When we live with much, we tend to be more focused on security for our future, planning and taking care of our needs first. We tend to give out of our excess rather than driven by meeting the needs of others.
People who live their lives generously do so regardless
of personal wealth or excess of time to give.
There are several things generous people have in common. Here are four examples of mindsets we, too, can adapt.
Generous people believe if they impact even just one person, what they do matters. If each of us adopts a giving posture, regardless of how big or small an impact, together we change the world. Even if our generosity changes the life of one person, it matters; it is enough.
Generous people understand that helping others gives them a feeling of personal success. It is easy to get lost in our day to day lives and challenges. However, when we reach out to help others, even when our lives feel hard, we discover we are not alone. We often gain a new perspective and a sense of satisfaction from helping others.
Generous people find contentment with less, less stuff, less activity on their calendar. People who have adopted a life of generosity tend to recognize that more stuff, more activity does not equate to happiness. When we reduce the excess clutter from our homes and our calendars, we find ourselves with space to breathe—time to pause and be intentional about how we use our time and resources. When we recognize we need less, we are free to give more.
Generous people tend to live fully present in the moment. Less likely to worry about tomorrow and focus on today. It is smart to save for the future, college for our children, retirement for ourselves. Being generous does not mean that we live financially careless. Yet when we are so focused on the bank account balance and preparing for all the what-ifs, we can miss out on what is happening here and now.
Adopting a posture of giving does not have to look extravagant or even sacrificial. It is choosing to be intentional, paying attention to opportunities around us. It can be as simple as choosing to round up your purchases at the store when asked to donate to a cause. During December, carrying change with you to let your kids place in the Salvation Army Collection outside the grocery store. It could look like cleaning out your pantry and donating canned goods that you aren’t eating or adding a few extra items to donate to your cart when there is a great sale. It can look like coming together as a family to sponsor a child in another country and engaging in their story. As Jesus noted in the poor widow’s story, living generously is not about how much we give. Living generously is about having a generous heart, seeing needs, and giving from what we have.
Resources, a few related articles for additional reading.
https://www.becomingminimalist.com/more-generosity/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-behind-behavior/201711/why-people-who-have-less-give-more
