LIFE RIGHT NOW â—½ YOU
When my phone buzzed, I glanced at the screen and saw the text message with three words staring back at me - door dash delivery. What? Knowing it wasn’t an actual door dash delivery (How does that even work?!), I continued to stare at the puzzling words on the screen. Curious and confused (my birthday was weeks ago and there wasn’t a holiday in sight), I cautiously opened the front door wondering what mysterious item my friend left on the porch. Yesterday’s false spring had quickly given way to second winter, so with a chill in the air, I swiftly grabbed the large canine covered sack and brought it into the warm comforts of home. Reaching inside, I pulled out the most beautiful handbag!
The art of generous giving. Some people just have it. This friend is one of those people! Most people (me) try their best when it comes to giving. We give what we can when we can. We bake casseroles for acquaintances recovering from surgery. We throw dollars in the plate at church. We’ll round up to the nearest dollar when purchasing things at the thrift store when asked. And during the holiday season we’ll toss money into Salvation Army’s red buckets. We see a need and immediately ask “How much?” We are givers. But are we…generous?
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Giving and generosity might seem like interchangeable words, but they’re not. Giving is often perfunctory. A task to check off a list. But generosity? That comes from the heart. And it’s the kind of giving God loves (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
The handbag dropped at my door? Pure goodness. She didn’t expect anything in return (emphatically refusing my offer to repay her). Likely she would’ve preferred to just drop it off anonymously, but chose to send a text to ensure I’d be there so it wouldn’t fall victim to the porch pirate thieves that like to prowl the neighborhood. Her generosity shined because this bag wasn’t just a random purse. This handbag was covered in sparkly beads (She knows my love for all things that shimmer!), it featured a Route 66 logo (She listened when I shared about the road trip my husband and I had previously taken on the mother road.), and everything about it screamed ME (Those were her exact words when she shared with me later!). She even considered my love of dogs when she placed it inside the dog covered sack.
This friend’s thoughtful act of generosity has inspired me to move beyond giving to strangers and cultivate creative generosity towards the people in my life! Does that mean spending loads of money on elaborate gifts? Not at all. Then, how? We can use our skills and talents to connect with our inner circle. We could host a cookie decorating party or a craft night or send a thoughtful note in the mail. We could invite a small group over for a casual game day. If we’re out shopping and spot something that immediately brings a friend to mind, buy it for them – and don’t wait for a special day, do an on-the-spot door dash delivery!
Opening presents always makes us feel good, but receiving an unexpected gift of generosity for no reason at all makes us feel…something more. Special. Important. Connected.
This month let’s begin to create a community that feels special, important, and connected. Let’s give from the heart. Let’s shift the focus of our giving from “How much do I need to give?” to “How can I give generously?” Let’s cultivate a culture of generosity by sharing our time, talents, and gifts with our friends.
“The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
Proverbs 11:25