MODELING GENEROSITY

             The blog series that we are in has been about giving as a heart issue, and last week we talked about Biblical generosity. This week is about modeling! I don’t mean cool shoes or the latest outfit or the best haircut. So don’t panic. When I was writing that word modeling, the idea of shoes struck me.

          Let me share a story with you. One of the things I’ve done the last few years is buy daily calendars for the folks in my office. I take the time to search out the best calendar for each, with a topic that I think that person would appreciate. One of the daily calendars that I get each year for one specific person is “Shoes.” 365 days of shoes. Each pair very different (and, as far as I can tell, there have been no repeats, even over the last several years!) For someone who owns a few pairs of shoes, but really only wears one of two pairs of shoes regularly (they’re the most comfortable), it blows my mind that there are that many shoes to begin with. And some of those shoes make me wonder how someone can walk in them, or even where to put your foot!

          If you’ve ever watched a model walking the runway in a fancy pair of shoes designed to match the outfit exactly, maybe you’ve wondered how they can be graceful wearing them!

          The kind of modeling we’re talking about today doesn’t require a fancy pair of new shoes. It’s about showing someone else your generosity journey.

·        Maybe some of our folks aren’t generous because they’ve never seen someone else who was generous.

·        Maybe someone isn’t generous because they don’t know what it looks like.

·        Or maybe they’re not generous because they’ve never been the recipient of generosity from someone else.

          I think the best way to learn is to see someone else is doing it! To hear stories about how generosity has transformed lives can be a great teaching moment.

          The point isn’t to be the prettiest model on the runway, but to be a model that gives credit to God for that generosity and that transformation. It’s not about you; it’s about God!

          Increases in our heart capacity or the heart capacity of someone else is all due to God!

          When heart capacity increases, that generosity and the love of God will reach the world!