It’s about that time of the month when everyone’s New Year’s resolutions are slowly coming to an end. You get really excited and driven for the first couple weeks but then other priorities slowly take over. In some shape or form, we usually want to change something about ourselves, whether physical or mental. It's great for self-improvement but also for learning how to have the heart to love others as ourselves. Loving does not have to be romantic, nor does it have to be fun, but its meaningful to mold ourselves into generous and thoughtful people. Becoming a generous giver is one of life's greatest gifts! You become better for it and so do the people around you. If you think about it, life is all about the memories you make and the people you meet, right? So what’s the point if you’re not giving the people you know everything you got?

Disclaimer: We’re not going to talk about giving as in giving money because let’s face it, we’re stingy (myself included). We like to be selfish and sometimes can’t imagine doing something to shine light on others if it doesn’t benefit us directly. While that is fantastic way to become a generous giver, we need to come to the realization that what is ours is not even really ours to begin. It belongs to God. Everything you own, everything you have is from Him, and once we surrender our lives to match His will (like living in generosity and love), we start feeling more fulfilled and satisfied. So, here a few perspectives on continuing to work towards becoming more generous (in more ways than one).

Generosity comes in more forms than just giving money. To withhold judgment, condemnation, and unforgiveness is acting in generosity. This could simply just be listening to someone or making sure their day is going well; showing someone more than what is necessary or expected. Truth be told, in God’s eyes, the reward is being treated with the same kind of compassion—pressed down, shaken together, and running over all together.

Luke 6:37-38 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Being generous is meant to be acted upon with an enthusiastic heart. We should be jumping up and down with joy, having a dance party when we think of how our giving can bless someone else. Giving is not meant to be a burden on us, and true generosity comes from sacrificial hearts. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and thinking about how incredible it would feel if someone else was as willing and passionate to give as we are can allow us to see the perspective of Jesus and how excited He gets when He sees us being openhanded.

Luke 21:1-4 “Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Jesus wants us to experience true pleasure, and find joy in simple goodness and generosity. Investing in kindness and having a big heart and caring for others is an investment in eternity. How can you turn that down? God richly provides everything for our own enjoyment. Giving openly and sacrificially shows us God’s promise when he gave us the ultimate gift of his son, Jesus.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”