If you had to measure your giving last week what would be the total? I don't mean financial giving but the total areas of your life where you could stretch and give things like your time, talent, self, ideas, help, guidance, friendship, and love. For some it's high, for others it's low and for the rest it may be barely in the middle.
In a society of ME we often forget about others and too many times we equate giving with dollars. Last week, a friend's aunt passed away and I said, "if there's anything I can do please let me know" a simple phrase that we say often but do we really mean it? The friend called later in the week to ask if I could provide a ride to the airport. I cringed. It was raining horribly and I didn't want too. Remember, I did say, let me know if there is anything I can do. (I wonder if God cringes when we ask for help?)
While in the middle of my dilemma, a colleague called for some assistance on a project (giving my talent). I mentioned a friend had a family death and needed a ride to the airport. I don't want to go, even though I did offer my help. My colleague replied, "the worst thing you can do is offering to help someone if it's not going to build your business." I was stunned especially after I'd spent countless hours assisting this colleague with a project that would not benefit me at all. I thought wow how selfish and my heart was convicted. I immediately got in my car to take my friend to the airport and I was glad to be in a position to do it. I prayed for the family and safe travels.
When we give of our time, talent, self, money, ideas, help, guidance, friendship, and love;
WE receive abundantly! When we give with our head it's easy not to give at all because we can think our way out of giving. That's what we do when we haphazardly offer to do things but we really don't mean it or even if we do mean it at the time we don't really expect people to take us up on it. When they do take us up on it we try to think (head) our way out of it.
When we give with our hands it's easy to take it back. We cancel commitments all the time; we take back that in which we've given way more than we should consciously and unconsciously. We take (hand) back our love, we take (hand) back our friendship, and we take (hand) back our assistance. We control our giving by taking it back and the moment we do we block our blessing and the ability to be a blessing to someone else.
Giving with our head and hand will keep us on the low-end of the giving spectrum. But when we give with our heart amazing things happen. When we give with our heart we give genuinely and not out of obligation. When we give with our heart we give in agape love which is selfless, sacrificial and unconditional and when we give with our heart it allows us to give more time, talent, self, money, ideas, help, guidance, friendship, and love. Let's be genuine, faithful, agape heart-givers this week and increase our giving and watch how we are abundantly blessed in our own areas of need while we bless others.
In a society of ME we often forget about others and too many times we equate giving with dollars. Last week, a friend's aunt passed away and I said, "if there's anything I can do please let me know" a simple phrase that we say often but do we really mean it? The friend called later in the week to ask if I could provide a ride to the airport. I cringed. It was raining horribly and I didn't want too. Remember, I did say, let me know if there is anything I can do. (I wonder if God cringes when we ask for help?)
While in the middle of my dilemma, a colleague called for some assistance on a project (giving my talent). I mentioned a friend had a family death and needed a ride to the airport. I don't want to go, even though I did offer my help. My colleague replied, "the worst thing you can do is offering to help someone if it's not going to build your business." I was stunned especially after I'd spent countless hours assisting this colleague with a project that would not benefit me at all. I thought wow how selfish and my heart was convicted. I immediately got in my car to take my friend to the airport and I was glad to be in a position to do it. I prayed for the family and safe travels.
When we give of our time, talent, self, money, ideas, help, guidance, friendship, and love;
WE receive abundantly! When we give with our head it's easy not to give at all because we can think our way out of giving. That's what we do when we haphazardly offer to do things but we really don't mean it or even if we do mean it at the time we don't really expect people to take us up on it. When they do take us up on it we try to think (head) our way out of it.
When we give with our hands it's easy to take it back. We cancel commitments all the time; we take back that in which we've given way more than we should consciously and unconsciously. We take (hand) back our love, we take (hand) back our friendship, and we take (hand) back our assistance. We control our giving by taking it back and the moment we do we block our blessing and the ability to be a blessing to someone else.
Giving with our head and hand will keep us on the low-end of the giving spectrum. But when we give with our heart amazing things happen. When we give with our heart we give genuinely and not out of obligation. When we give with our heart we give in agape love which is selfless, sacrificial and unconditional and when we give with our heart it allows us to give more time, talent, self, money, ideas, help, guidance, friendship, and love. Let's be genuine, faithful, agape heart-givers this week and increase our giving and watch how we are abundantly blessed in our own areas of need while we bless others.
Dr. Taunya A. Lowe is the CEO of The Resurgent Group of Metro Atlanta, LLC and The Impact Experience, LLC, a human services and leadership development consulting firm located outside Atlanta, GA. Dr. Lowe is a speaker, trainer, coach, with the John Maxwell Team, a professor and entrepreneur. She is a skilled change agent with a focus on developing people and organizations. She enjoys combining her photography and writing to motivate, inspire and lead people toward growth and change.
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