But a generous man devises generous things, And by generosity he shall stand. Isaiah 32:8 NKJV
So what really makes someone generous? Is it the proportion of money they give to charity? What about people who don’t give money but give a big part of their time? What about people who give a small part of their time? What if the time given is not to an official charity?
What if it were to a person? What if that person had lots of money?
Generosity is an interesting subject. There’s no ‘line’ to cross that makes you generous; no defining moment or tell-tale sign… there’s only grey… and many variables.
I think the over-arching (or perhaps it’s under-girding???) theme of generosity is the intent in the heart of the generous.
Generosity can become a chore, a habit, a ritual. Not that there’s anything wrong with that… only when it becomes a mindless and monotonous pattern; creating a veneer of generosity but lacking the substance to give it full and honest depth.
I recently read the book “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth” by Chris Hadfield. In it Chris describes how at age nine he decided he wanted to be an astronaut. Although the odds were slim for a Canadian ever to become an astronaut, from that moment he thought that he would ask himself the question “What would an astronaut do?” in every situation he faced. He thought this would prepare him if he ever had the opportunity. So riding the bus as a kid, he thought that an astronaut would use the time to read. He would eat all his vegetables to stay healthy and do all his homework to get good grades. As he got older, he chose a career as a pilot, thinking that it would give him the skills an astronaut would need.
What’s interesting about Chris is that he was acting like an astronaut long before he ever became one. It’s the practical outworking of this ancient verse.
When it comes to generosity then, the easiest way to start is by simply asking yourself “What would a generous man do?” Most likely he would devise some way of being generous, give of himself in a way to bring blessing and hope to other people, in every situation.
I guess that’s why we have bracelets and bookmarks and stickers that remind us of perhaps the greatest example of generosity…
WWJD?
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