We know the blessing of giving exceeds that of receiving, but this does not make it any easier to do. And when we do give, we tend to think of our money or possessions, and not our very selves.
While there is certainly a time and place to give of our things, the higher call is to give of our selves.
In fact, we often hide behind the giving of our things. It’s much easier to write a check or donate a few items than to give our very presence to another.
Mature generosity calls not just for our wallets, but also our bodies, hearts, and minds.
Generous Bodies
We are embodied beings through and through. When this experience is limited to the bedroom and sexual acts, we’ve missed the fullness of what God has for us.
For instance, there is power in a smile, a touch on the shoulders, and simply sitting next to someone.
Our bodies communicate love with skin on in many small yet profound ways.
With generous bodies we bring more life and goodness into the world.
Generous Hearts
A generous heart is one that feels with and for others – caring without reservation.
To give our hearts to anyone or anything is to open to the possibility of being hurt. And so we often hold back parts of our heart to minimize this risk.
Growing in maturity is learning to give more and more of our heart away – allowing the deepest parts of ourselves to care and be concerned with the heart of others.
Generous Minds
We all have our unique way of seeing things – our own thoughts, ideas, and opinions. And a generous mind freely offers these insights to others.
This is not forcing our opinions onto others as a bully would. Nor is it merely griping, complaining, or gossiping about life events.
Rather, being generous with our thoughts is to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of others. We use the gift of our intellect to wisely speak into the lives of others for their good.
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By all means, be generous with your money and things. This certainly brings a lot of good.
At the same time, be very generous with your body, heart, and mind.
And perhaps, this giving of our very selves is the greater gift.
