Finally, my 16-year-old neighbor Katie is done with chemo and has a clean medical report. I stopped by to talk to her mom today. She’s been my friend since the kids were in kindergarten. We were both teary eyed, standing on the very edge of a journey that still progresses one day at a time, sharing a heart-felt hug.
Katie’s mom thanked me for what I’d given them during these tough months—meals, just stopping by to talk, a basket of muffins now and then. To me, these were small things. I wish I could have given more—but giving in a small way brought me joy.
Jesus gave everything on the cross. We just celebrated Easter, where we remember the gift that he gave, which opened the door to the best gift—eternal life.
What could be more loving than giving? To say you love but not show it is not love at all. I would also argue that there is little that is more transforming than generosity. When we serve or give in quiet, through behind-the-scenes sorts of ways, we demonstrate a powerful love, and we tap into that love ourselves.
Author and activist Shane Claiborne offers this challenging observation in The Irresistible Revolution: “If you ask most people what Christians believe, they can tell you, ‘Christians believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that Jesus rose from the dead.’ But if you ask the average person how Christians live, they are struck silent. We have not shown the world another way of doing life. Christians pretty much live like everybody else, they just sprinkle in a little Jesus along the way.”
What if we could show the world another way of doing life? What if we consistently practiced the spiritual discipline of giving? Not just so that others can see it, but so that we are transformed. If we choose, for example, to live on less than we make, so that we can give away money, stuff, food, and so on to people in need, it will not only show people a way to live, and help some folks, it will change our hearts. To live a life of generosity is to declare that you will do more than just “sprinkle in a little Jesus.”
Giving is a spiritual discipline that is often, unfortunately, associated with obligation. And for many, the discipline of giving is also wrought with fear—if I give away some of my very limited resources, how I will ever have enough? Giving changes your perspective. You realize how much you have. When we give, we get a glimpse of the abundance of God. When we hoard out of fear, we live in a mindset of scarcity that robs us of intimacy with God.
In today’s economic climate, giving is a spiritual discipline that will have radical impact on the world. People around us will see our love in tangible ways. We can give money, time, stuff—we all have something to offer, even when we think we have very little. We can give the gift of time, which is a rare and beautiful gift.
Now, the problem, of course, is that Jesus said that we should not brag about our giving or do it in a showy way just to impress others (Matt. 6:1-4). But our decision to give instead of purchasing the latest gadget or the trendiest clothes results in satisfaction that nothing else can touch. Giving is much more than dropping a check in the offering plate. If we bring a meal or a loaf of bread to a friend going through a difficult time, we find we are fed.
The key to the discipline of giving, which will transform us and the world around us, is to see all that we have—time, talents, and treasures—as valuables on loan from the Creator. We are stewards of these resources, and our assignment is to invest them in a way that maximizes the return—not for ourselves but for the benefit of the kingdom.
Keri Wyatt Kent is the author of seven books, including Simple Compassion: Devotions to Make a Difference in Your Neighborhood and Your World. Learn more at www.keriwyattkent.com
