For Mothers

Originally appearing in Tapestry Magazine, July 2007

My granddaughter just had her second birthday. Need I say more? She has been growing a large vocabulary for months, but suddenly her two favorite words are “no” and “mine.” In response, my two favorite words have become “yes” and “share.” In time, she will outgrow the blatant “mine” stage, but in preparing to write about generosity, I saw a distinct parallel. If I’m not giving generously of the time, talents, and money the Lord has entrusted to me, I’m silently saying, “mine, it’s all mine.”Generosity begins in the heart. Generous people are others-focused; they go the second mile in serving others. Generosity becomes a lifestyle, one in which giving is an outgrowth of our relationship with Jesus. In the portrait of the Proverbs 31 woman, we see her generous heart, a characteristic that overflows from her relationship with her Lord. “Her hands reach out to the poor, and she extends her hands to the needy” (Proverbs 31:20).“There is a route to genuine and enduring satisfaction, but it flies in the face of this greedy, self-obsessed culture. It’s called generosity, and it involves giving our four most valuable resources—our time, talents, treasure, and touch—and receiving unimaginable riches in return” (The Generosity Factor, by Ken Blanchard and Truett Cathy).We are most like Jesus when we give because giving is at the very heart of who Jesus is. He gave His life so that we who were dead in our sins might live. He gives forgiveness to the sinner. He gives strength to the weary. He gives comfort to the grieving. He gives unconditional love when our attitudes are unlovely. He gives grace that is greater than our need. He gives hope in the midst of hopelessness. He gives new mercies every morning. He gives wisdom when we seek His face. He gives peace that passes all understanding. He gives unspeakable joy when we rest in Him. Jesus is the ultimate Giver of all things.Take a few moments and evaluate your “generosity factor.” How well are you reflecting the giving nature of Jesus in your day-to-day life?