I’ll never forget the day that I had this conversation with my dad…

“Hey dad, I believe everything in the Bible, but there is one part I really have trouble with…”

“What’s that son?”

“How can it be more blessed to give than to receive?”

In his wisdom, my dad answered me with a question. He asked if I had rather be on the side of needing to receive rather than living in abundance and being willing to give.

I really had it all upside down. I thought receiving was a blessing that led to abundance, and all the “good stuff” that goes with it. In reality, giving leads to abundance, and all the “good” that goes with it. (Notice I left out the word “stuff.”)

There is joy in giving; and everyone can give something. Maybe it’s not money, maybe it’s not “stuff”, but you can give.

You can give a smile…think about how you feel when someone smiles at you.

You can give a kind word…”the right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver.”

You can give your time…nothing is more valuable than your time.

The benefits of giving go well beyond the moment. I remember, as a child, my family and I visited my uncle at an Army base where we met one of his friends. As we were sitting near the commissary, I mentioned that I was hungry. One of my uncle’s friends immediately jumped up and got something for me to eat. Of course I wasn’t starving, but young boys at my age are always hungry.

His spontaneous kindness touched my heart. I have never forgotten that moment. In fact, I believe God used his kindness to shape my understanding of generosity today.

What can you give today? What memory can you make for someone else as a result of your giving?