extravagant generosity

I think the people I remember as most influential in my life have been the most generous, too. They weren’t the richest and they didn’t have the most time, but they were extravagantly generous.

Let me give you a few examples:

1. My seventh grade Social Studies and English teachers generously called out the talents they saw in their students. Each of these teachers believed in me when there was no track record of my success. This was extravagantly generous and instilled a deep confidence during a really pivotal time for kids…middle school.
2. My grandpa has always been a “safety net”. He is unflappable and I have always known if ALL else failed, he’d help me figure out whatever pickle I found myself in. This has given me the confidence to do hard things in life.
3. My husband is generous in relationship, never withholding affection or connection even if he’s mad at me. This helps me as a child of divorce, because oftentimes I fear that a slight or an offense will break the relationship beyond repair. This helps me love bravely.
4. I have a friend I really look up to who has always shared my work–even (and especially) when it brought her nothing in return. This encouraged me to keep going.

And here are 3 reasons to be extravagantly generous:

1. Any good gift you have was given to you. While you may work hard, nothing you have was generated by you. God gives all good gifts–and we can be like the Giver when we are generous.
2. Generosity has the potential to change someone else’s day or even life. Look at all of the turning points that start with an act of undeserved kindness or an extravagant gift. GRACE.
3. When you are generous it is good for your soul. When we store up the good things for ourselves, eventually the good fruit will rot. We can become spoiled and begin to stink…even with things that were delicious and good at the beginning.

So, on this Monday in February–the month of LOVE…let’s get generous. Let’s be the people who point to others more than ourselves. If you don’t have a ton of money to be generous with, what about your time? If you’re strapped for time but have some extra padding in your checking account, what could you do with that? What if you were just overly generous in calling out the good gifts you see in others? I challenge you to do that. Whatever THAT is in your life. Just be generous. :)

Who has stood out in your life as extravagantly generous? How did that generosity change things for you?