The Gift Of You: How Living Generously Reflects The Heart Of GodНамуна

The Humility to Receive

A few years ago, Jenn and her mom began volunteering with a ministry that serves kids from marginalized parts of town that most people don’t dare visit, especially at night. 

Many of the kids live in conditions that are hard for many of us to imagine. Some only get a full meal at school. Most have one or both parents in jail or know a friend or sibling who’s been sent there. Families often live with multiple generations crammed into a single small home or motel room. 

Jenn and her mom didn’t quite know what to expect the first day they volunteered. Jenn’s mom has been a school teacher for many years, so she figured her role in the ministry would be to keep kids in line. But she was stunned when many of the kids who experienced such hardship turned out to be the most affectionate, grateful and kind children she had ever worked with!

The kids often don’t get enough to eat at home, so a full meal once a week is a welcome break. Even though there was plenty of food for all the children, Jenn’s mom saw a boy split a sandwich with a younger sibling so she wouldn’t be hungry—a generous act for any kid, but especially one with his own hungry stomach. 

No one had told this little boy to share his food with his sister; he had simply grown up in an environment where very little was his and his alone. Everything needed to be shared. Generosity didn’t require a second thought.

Observing how these kids share and take care of each other has taught Jenn the importance of community—not only being willing to make sacrifices for the needs of others but also having the humility to accept help when it’s needed.

Our culture places a high value on self-sufficiency, but God’s design requires dependence, both on Him and on Christian community. This can be a difficult principle to embrace, but it’s critical to understanding and living the life of generosity God designed for us.

Things to Ponder:

• How have you experienced the generosity of others during a time of need?
• Can you think of a time where it was hard for you to accept someone’s generosity?
• What has both giving and receiving taught you about God’s character?