Living Generous in a Global PandemicSample

This plan is dedicated to the lessons I am learning on what God is teaching me during this unique time in our world. One of the lessons that I want to keep writing about today is how important it is to be generous at a time like this. 

As I researched secular literature on the topic of generosity, I came across some interesting data. In Brett Steenbarger’s article entitled Generosity and Peak Performance, he writes, 

"Mention "Wall Street" or "hedge funds" to many people and images of greed and cutthroat competition are likely to come to mind. . . . Many of the best practices that I observe among successful money managers are distinctively spiritual. In transcending the ego, they are able to focus deeply, rigorously generate ideas, and find creative ways of expressing those views in markets. Perhaps nowhere is the business/finance stereotype so challenged, however, as in the area of generosity. A broad range of research findings--and observations from trading floors--suggests that giving plays a powerful role in winning and peak performance."

He continues in the article to talk about the correlation between happiness and generosity concluding that “the generosity-happiness link is a kind of spiral, with acts of giving yielding positive emotions and those emotions further energizing generosity.” He even has found that when married couples are generous toward one another in the areas of appreciation and kindness, they are much happier. He writes that “even small acts of giving, such as making a partner coffee in the morning or giving a foot massage, can lead to relationship happiness.” 

In another article I read entitled Generosity Makes You Happier, Dr. Maria Cohut writes how you can actually see the physical impact being generous has on the human brain. There is a noticeable action in the physical brain of those who are generous. I thought that was pretty cool. Let us do our brains some good and be generous!

In our biblical text for today, the Apostle Paul addresses the church at Corinth on the principle of generous giving. He wants them to go ahead and prepare the offering they were going to give for assistance to the church at Jerusalem, that had fallen on hard times. Notice that there are two ways to give: one is to give out of a generous heart and the other is to give out of duty or obligation. Paul wanted them to give out of the former. And that is the attitude we should have as well:  give out of a happy, benevolent, and generous heart for the help and assistance of those who need it.

How tightly are you holding on to what God has entrusted to you? If you hold tightly what is yours, it may be painful when God pries open your hands so you will give and help others. However, when you hold loosely and are always ready and happy to be generous, then there is no pain at all, only a sense of joy and satisfaction. 

Are your hands open or closed?

Prayer:

“Lord, far too often my hands are tightly closed when they should be open. Forgive me for hoarding and not assisting others when I know I should. May my giving be characterized by words like happy, cheerful, and generous. Thank You, Lord, for being patient with me. I love You!”