Developing a Generous Heart

This devotional is a little different. It’s a conversation between Mary Lowman, founder and host of The Christian Working Woman, and Julie Busteed, our Executive Director. Together they talk about generosity, and especially one of the hardest things to give away: our time.  Julie: The Bible has lots to say about the importance of being generous—generous with our money, with our talents, with our possessions. But we’re going to talk about being generous with our time.   Mary: And you know, Julie, I often find it more difficult to give my time away than I do my money. I mean, you give some money to the church or a ministry or someone who is in need, and it’s done. But giving your time, really being generous with your time, for me that’s often a greater sacrifice. Can you resonate with that?   Julie: Definitely. I have a to do list. I have a full calendar. And sometimes to give up or let go of my plans to help someone else or spend time with someone that wasn’t in my plan is a big sacrifice.   Mary: There’s no question we are all born with a selfish bent. None of us moms ever had to teach our children to be selfish. It just comes naturally! It begins with being selfish with toys, and that selfish bent grows in us as we age. Generosity is not our natural default; it is a spiritual discipline we must intentionally incorporate into our everyday lives. So, I want to focus on what it means to have a generous heart, especially being generous with our time.  Julie: Think about how generous Jesus was with his time during his ministry on earth. People were following him all the time, giving little time to himself or with his closest disciples. Think of how many people came begging him to heal their child, and he would give his time—his incredibly valuable time. He changed his plans and gave them time! He certainly sets a high standard for us, doesn’t he?   Mary: And as Christ-followers, we are in the process of becoming more like Jesus—being conformed to his image with ever-increasing glory, as we read in 2 Corinthians. He was often very tired from people around him all the time, but even when weary, he was generous with his time. He is our role model for sure.  Julie: There were so many instances when Jesus had compassion on people, even when the disciples were ready to call it a day. Remember when Jesus and his apostles tried to retreat to a quiet, remote place near Bethsaida to rest after a busy time of ministry. But this great crowd tracked them down, 5,000 men plus women and children. The disciples urged Jesus to send the crowd away so they could go buy some food, but Jesus felt compassion, and he told the disciples: They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat (Matthew 14:16). Undoubtedly, he was more tired than the disciples. But he cared about them and gave them generously of his time and eventually provided food for that large crowd by a miracle of turning a small boy’s lunch into enough food for everyone.  Mary: Jesus was so generous; he was often weary with everybody coming for healing, clinging to him, giving him very little time alone. But he never failed to be generous. I think of what Apostle Paul wrote to the new believers in Corinth:  Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).  This was in the context of asking them to be generous in giving money to other Christians who were experiencing hardship. But I believe it is totally appropriate to apply this to generosity of our time. Give time generously and joyfully—time to others in need and do so with the right attitude.  Well, what would it look like to give generously of your time?   Julie: We can begin by determining to be generous with our listening. Active listening, where you truly put away other thoughts and distractions and really listen to someone else. Listening with a desire to encourage, to help, to understand. Generous listening takes time, and often, more than anything a person just needs someone to really listen to them.  Mary: So true. I’ve been way too slow in learning to be a generous listener. Being very project oriented, I can easily overlook someone who needs a listening ear. I just don’t recognize it. But that’s a serious defect on my part; I need to be generous with my time, and I’m working at it. But I think it comes more naturally with you, Julie.  Julie: Sometimes, but I still catch myself thinking of my response or not fully giving my attention. You know, you don’t have to have solutions or answers to listen actively to someone. More often than not, people just need to know someone is truly listening to their situation. I find I usually say, “I’m so sorry,” or “That is really hard” or “I can’t even imagine what you’re going through.” Just letting them know I hear what they’re saying, even when I can’t really change anything.  Mary: And you know, nowadays it’s easy to set up a Zoom meeting with someone who is going through hard times just for the purpose of listening to them. There are several people in my life I simply text them and ask if they can Zoom with me on an upcoming day. We set up a time, and there’s no agenda. It’s just talk and mostly listen time. So, you must determine to be alert to who needs a listening ear, and then do something about it. Meet for coffee, meet after church, FaceTime with them or set up a Zoom. We really can communicate so much easier now than before.  Julie: True, but it still takes time.   Mary: It does. So, how do you manage to spend time with friends and people you know who need someone to listen to them?   Julie: I think the first thing is to identify those people who need a listening ear. I can be so caught up in my life that I don’t realize or recognize what others might need. And often, I do know, and it’s just a matter of remembering to follow up with them. I’m working to be intentional to reach out to a friend and see how she is doing. I have a friend who is so good at this. She remembers something we talked or texted about, and she follows up to see how I’m doing.   Mary: Another way to develop a generous heart and give generously of your time is what we now call the “ministry of presence.” I remember a couple who started a ministry to homeless people who were in their neighborhood in Chicago. It really is wonderful what they did. He was telling me some days if he saw one of the homeless guys when he was doing errands, he would invite him to ride along. One day he picked up a guy and as they rode around Chicago, the man said to him, “I used to feel useless and no good, like nobody liked me. But I don’t feel that way anymore.” So, my friend asked him why, and he said, “Because if I was no good, you wouldn’t spend time with me.”  Spending time with people, just being there with them, sends a wonderful message that you care, they have great worth, and you like to be with them. It can make a difference in someone’s life.  Julie: For sure, and it’s not like you have to do anything special, or prepare anything, or feed them. Just to invite them to be with you because you want them to be with you. It means showing up without an agenda, even embracing silence. Words are not always needed; just presence. And you don’t have to have training in counseling or anything else—no special credentials required. Just a caring heart that is willing to give your time to others.  Mary: It could be sitting quietly in a hospital room or taking someone to an appointment. Our church has a ministry to women who have been sexually trafficked, and many women volunteer to take them to appointments. Lots of ministry goes on in those travel times. The ministry of presence when someone knows you care. I think you did that for a while, right Julie?  Julie: Yes, it’s actually sometimes easier to carry a conversation in the car for some reason. And you know, on your job it could be giving a coworker your time to show them a new procedure, how to fix a computer problem, whatever. Maybe they’re a slow learner and you’ve given the same training several times, but you keep giving your time just to show God’s love in the generosity of giving your time.  Mary: Another way to develop a generous heart is to become a mentor to someone. The Bible teaches that older women should help younger women, and over the years, I’ve intentionally mentored several women. It takes time. But Jesus has called us to go and make disciples, and you don’t make disciples overnight. It’s often lots of one-on-one time where they know they can trust you, and you have an opportunity to share your wisdom.  Julie: Don’t you think most of us don’t think of ourselves as being wise and helping others by sharing some of the things we’ve learned along the way? I just don’t think of myself as wise, but the truth is, I’ve lived enough years, gone through enough “stuff,” and studied the Bible consistently that God has given me wisdom. I mean, he promised to give us wisdom if we ask for it, and spending time with someone else in a discipleship kind of relationship is a wonderful opportunity to share some of the wisdom God has given us.  Mary: Right. Recently I was meeting with a friend who’s been going through some tough times, really hard times, on her job and elsewhere, and as she shared her story, I just offered a few thoughts that might be helpful. As we closed our conversation, she said, “I really appreciate your wisdom,” and went on to thank me for sharing it. I found that amazing, because I know how unwise I have been and still am at times, and how many dumb mistakes I’ve made in all these years. But I don’t often think I’ve gained wisdom. I don’t think of myself as wise, and yet God promises to give us wisdom in James 1 if we ask, and I’ve been asking for years! So, appreciate the wisdom God has given you and share it with others. You will be so blessed if you do.  Julie: So, we’ve talked about being generous with our time by having listening ears, and becoming more intentional to listen while we let others talk to us—even when they give you more details than you really need. You still keep listening.  Mary: And the ministry of presence. That is so powerful. I encourage you to ask God for that ministry in your own life. I’m quite certain there are people in all our lives who simply need the ministry of our presence—someone to just be in their lives.  Julie: And we’ve talked about being generous with your time by volunteering your time to help someone who needs some kind of help and by mentoring someone. Those are four ways all of us can develop a heart of generosity. This is for every Christ-follower, not just a few.  Mary: Absolutely. If you think you don’t have a ministry, think again! Every believer can and should have the ministry of generosity and especially generous with your time. Proverbs 11:24-25 says, One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.  My Daddy used to say, “Honey, you can’t outgive God,” and you know, it’s true when you are generous with your time, too. God is so generous with you and me. Did you ever start praying and he said, “Sorry, I don’t have time today to listen to you. I’ve heard it all before or you prayed about this yesterday. So, I just don’t have time for you today.”  No, of course not. It’s almost sacrilegious to imagine such a thing. God always has time for you; always. So, ask God to help you develop a generous heart like his. You will be more blessed than anyone else. When you refresh others, you yourself are even more refreshed. I promise you, from many years of experience, that giving your time to others comes back to you in so many wonderful ways.  Julie: And don’t forget what Jesus said: It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). And that is definitely true. God can give us a generous heart by giving us a desire to give more to others in honor of all he’s done for us.     Mary: Remember, having a generous heart isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about daily choices to put others first, to care about what they’re going through, to listen quietly and help when you can. It’s about developing a compassionate heart that just naturally looks for ways to serve others. Giving to others enriches your life in ways you never expected.  

Like the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem, it had to be untied so that Jesus could use it. God has given all of us various gifts and abilities. For some it is organizational abilities; for some it is leadership. Others are gifted musically. Some are great teachers; some are good at bookkeeping and administrative tasks. The list is practically endless. But so often I see Christians with wonderful gifts and abilities which they use for their own profit in the business world, but they don’t contribute any of that ability to God’s work. Seems like some people feel it’s an imposition to ask them to contribute their skills and time to God’s work. There’s no question our churches and Christian organizations suffer because so few people are willing to untie their abilities and give them back to the Lord. We have to remind ourselves of what Paul told the Corinthians, that we have nothing we didn’t receive. Any talent or ability any of us have is just because God gave it to us. What have you got tied up today that God wants to use? Your home, your money, your time, your talents and abilities? Are you willing to untie them and give them back to the Lord? If you’ve been hoarding those things for your own use, you’ve been missing out on the greatest joys in life. And that is to see how God will use what you have if you’ll simply untie it. Remember, it doesn’t have to be fancy or splendid. All that God asks for is availability. That donkey colt was a humble thing to give to the Lord. But the Lord sat on its back and rode it into Jerusalem in the most important processional this world has ever seen! I don’t want to get to heaven and discover God had great and mighty plans to use me which never came to pass because everything I had was tied up and unavailable. Why do we have all our resources focused on a few short years of our earthly life, when we could be untying them and using them for God’s eternal purposes? Doesn’t that sound like a really good idea? What have you got tied up today that Jesus wants to use?

What have you got tied up that Jesus wants to use? Remember the donkey that was tied up and Jesus wanted to ride it into Jerusalem? Suppose the owners had refused to let the disciples untie it. They would have missed such a blessing and privilege. Often, we miss God’s blessings in our lives because we have tied up things in our life for ourselves that he wants to use for eternal purposes. How about your money? Is it all tied up so there’s none for the Lord? In this money-crazed society, most of us are scared to death to part with our money. It represents security and comfort. Maybe you’re thinking, “I just barely have enough as it is.” I dare say the owners of that colt had to sacrifice to be without their animal while Jesus used it, but they untied it anyway. Even if you feel you have no money to give, you need to untie some of your money and give it to God by faith. Start small and determine to increase it. You’ll be amazed at how much you can give to God when that is a top priority in your life. Is your time all tied up? I’m amazed to see how easy it is to tie up my time with absolutely useless activities. And then I’m amazed to see how reluctant I am to give up my time to others. God has been showing me how selfish I am with my time sometimes. I have it tied up, I have it planned, I have it scheduled. And I don’t want to untie it. Because the colt was available, he carried the Lord of heaven and earth in his one and only earthly processional! Had his owners insisted they could not let him go because they had other plans for his time that day, they would have missed this most incredible opportunity. Could they have ever guessed that their simple animal would have such an honor? What would God be doing with your time for eternal value if you untied it and gave it to him? What excuses are you using for not giving God the time you should? I think many of us are going to stand before the Lord in wide-eyed astonishment when he tells us what he wanted to do with us and through us, if we’d been willing to untie our time and give it to him.

Jesus decided to use one particular donkey, he knew where it was, he sent two disciples to untie it and bring it to him, and he even told them what to say to its owners. Mind you, the disciples didn’t know the owners; in fact, they could have been accused of trying to steal that donkey, because when they found it, they simply started untying it, evidently without asking permission. When the owners asked what they were doing, they replied that Jesus needed it and without any further discussion, that donkey was taken for Jesus to ride on. As I read this story, I thought, “What do I have tied up that the Lord wants to use?” I think many times we’ve got resources and abilities God would use in his service, but they’re all tied up. We’re using them for our own selfish purposes, or failing to use them at all perhaps, instead of giving them back to God for his eternal purposes. Think about your resources. For example, your home or apartment. Is it tied up, or do you use it for the Lord? You may say, “Well, my place is small, and it’s not furnished very well.” Or, “I’m not a great cook and I don’t know how to entertain.” You know, that colt was not first-class transportation. It was humble, but Jesus chose it and rode it at the front of a parade. God isn’t interested in the size or splendor of your home or your culinary skills. Your home is a resource that can be used to build friendships, to encourage people, to show love and care for others. It can offer shelter for others. It can be a great tool in the hands of the Lord, if it’s not all tied up. I think of a friend who had a lovely home here in the suburbs of Chicago. She and her husband have no children, but they were always sharing their home with others. I remember once when they kept a teenage boy whose father died and whose mother was hospitalized with serious depression. Barbara and Roger shared their home with that young boy, giving him love and helping him adjust during that difficult period. That resource—their home—was used for eternal purposes, not just something for them to enjoy. Is your home untied for Jesus to use?

You remember the story where Jesus sent two disciples to get a donkey for him to ride into Jerusalem. He told them to untie it and bring it to him. When they started to untie it, the owners asked what they were doing. Well, wouldn’t you if that was your donkey? I imagine they were a little perturbed to see two strangers taking their prized young colt that had never been ridden. Can you put yourselves in their shoes? I might have been upset and confronted those disciples: “Why are you untying my colt?” At any rate, when the disciples explained that Jesus had requested to use this colt, this one particular colt, it seemed to put an end to it. Without another question, they gave the colt to the disciples for Jesus to use. Their willingness to let go of a valuable possession so unquestioningly leads me to believe that Jesus was someone they knew about, someone they respected, perhaps even loved. They must have met Jesus somewhere. You know, when you’ve met Jesus, it’s not a matter of giving anything up or sacrificing, is it? Instead, the greatest joy of your heart is to give back to the one who has given so much for you. But I confess that often I find myself in selfish mode, do you? I think in terms of my time or my money or my things, and sometimes I don’t want to untie them. That selfish nature comes up easily. But that’s when I am reminded it isn’t my time because I belong to Jesus and everything I have is his. One of the prayers I regularly pray is that God will make me see that I am possessionless and positionless. In reality, as Christ-followers we own nothing; we are just stewards—caretakers of God’s gifts and we will be accountable to him for all that has been entrusted to us. When we really come to see that, it isn’t so hard to untie whatever it is that Jesus asks for, because it doesn’t belong to us anyway. What do you have tied up today? What are you clinging to that God wants to use? You’re missing a great blessing by keeping them tied up.

What do you have tied up today that the Lord wants to use? One time some people in the New Testament had a donkey Jesus needed, but it was tied up. It dawned on me that lots of us have things tied up, too, and if we’d untie them, they’d be of service to our Lord. What do you have tied up? In Luke 19:29-36, we read: As he (Jesus) approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’” Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.” They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. Jesus chose this donkey to ride in his one and only earthly parade. He knew where it was, he knew it had never been ridden, and he knew what the reaction of the owners of the colt would be. How could he know all this? Because he is God, and though he was fully man in his 33 years on earth, he was nonetheless fully God, and God is all-knowing. Interesting also that the disciples evidently did not question Jesus’ instructions. However, it had to take a bit of nerve to walk up to this colt and start untying it. Give those disciples credit for their faith and obedience in this matter. As they were untying the colt, the owners approached them. Quite possibly they were poor people without a great deal of this world’s possessions. A donkey’s colt was not a very prestigious animal. Not what well-to-do people chose for transportation. But likely it was all these simple owners could afford. Many times we think what we have or who we are is too humble for God to use, but the lesson we want to learn is God is looking for availability. What do you have tied up that God wants to use?

True, it’s a bit of a teaser to declare that Christians are like pumpkins, but since pumpkins are everywhere around us at this time of year, I thought it would be fun to show how our Christian life is sometimes like a pumpkin!   First of all, we’re like pumpkins because God picks us from the patch, brings us in, and washes all the dirt off us.    For those of us who have been born from above, our salvation began when God picked us out of the patch. Jesus said in John 15:16: You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…. And Paul reminds us in Ephesians 1:4: For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight….    I never cease to be amazed at this truth, that God chose me. He picked me out of the dirty pumpkin patch of life and brought me into the fold of his care, made me his child, and called me by name.     But you know, a pumpkin is of little use until you get it cleaned up. I don’t know if you’ve ever picked a pumpkin or seen one right out of the pumpkin patch, but they are really dirty. They lie on the ground for many days and collect all kinds of dirt and mud, so when you bring them in, the first thing you have to do is get them cleaned up.    And that’s the first thing God does for us when he chooses us from the dirty patch we were in. We read in 1 Corinthians 6:11: And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.    And again in Titus 3:4-5: But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit….    We come from different pumpkin patches, with different kinds of dirt on us, but all of us had to be cleaned up by Jesus, didn’t we? Think of what you were before Jesus brought you in from the patch. Think of where you would be without him.    It is true that we never want to dwell on our past and live in regret. What God has forgiven and we have forsaken should no longer keep us in bondage. But it is also true that we need to remember where we were before Christ brought us in from our pumpkin patch. A. W. Tozer has written:    “The only sure defense against self-righteousness is to cultivate a quiet state of continual penitence. A sweet but sobering memory of our past guilt and a knowledge of our present imperfections are not incompatible with the joy of the Lord; and they are of inestimable aid in resisting the enemy.”1    Remember your pumpkin patch today—the place you were before Christ picked you up and brought you in. Remember, and give thanks that he has redeemed you from that life and given you new life and hope for a bright future.    Because we’ve been given new life in Christ, our demeanor and attitudes should be joyful, don’t you think? That can be a challenge when your life has been turned upside down. You may be in a place you don’t particularly want to be in, a job you’re not crazy about, dealing with people you’re not fond of. But you have a wonderful opportunity, right in that spot, to be a witness for Jesus simply by being a joyful, positive person. After all, you’ve been saved from the pumpkin patch, and you have every reason to rejoice. So, today, wherever God has you now planted, make a commitment to rejoice all day long as you remember that you’ve been rescued from the pumpkin patch and made new in Christ.    Secondly, we’re like pumpkins because God cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff.     The Christian life begins when you become a new creation in Christ, as you confess your sins and place your trust in Jesus. At the moment Jesus picked you out of the patch and cleaned you up, you began the process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. This is a process that continues throughout all our earthly days. Sometimes the process can be painful, as we are confronted with the mess on the inside of us, the yucky stuff that is clogging us up.    Just as there are lots of seeds inside a pumpkin that must be removed, so in our hearts there are many seeds that need to be cleaned out. Paul wrote to the Colossians: You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips (Colossians 3:7-8).   And again he wrote: Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1).    What seeds are still clogging inside of you, contaminating your body and spirit? Years ago, I wrote this verse from 2 Corinthians in my prayer journal and prayed that God would help me clean up whatever contaminates my body and spirit. And God has faithfully pointed out many of those seeds to me and given the grace and power to start cleaning them out.    Paul named some of these seeds that have to be cleaned out: Anger and rage must be scooped out of your heart. You know, when you allow anger to remain, it will quickly turn into bitterness, which is a deadly heart contamination. It will ruin your spirit and your physical body.    Malice and slander are seeds we cannot afford to keep around. Regardless of how others treat you, you must not allow malice to reside in your heart toward them. It sours on you quickly and makes you miserable.     Scooping out the yucky stuff may not be pleasant, but it produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness, and that is very worthwhile and wonderful.    One popular thing to do with pumpkins at this harvest time is to make jack-o-lanterns. After scooping out all the yucky stuff from inside, we carve a smiling face and put a candle inside to light it up. And that process is similar to how God changes us when we allow him to clean out all the yucky stuff inside.    He carves a new smiling face and puts his light inside of us to shine for all the world to see.  One of my favorite passages is Psalm 40:2-3: He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. With a new song to sing and a smile on your face, you truly become a light in your world, as Jesus intended when he said: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14).    Proverbs 15:13 says: A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. And again, in verse 30: Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.   Do you carry a cheerful look and a happy face into your world each day? I’m not talking about a phony smile or pretending everything is right. I am talking about allowing God’s light inside to shine through you regardless of the circumstances. Anyone can look cheerful when everything is going right, but when life is tough, that’s when the smiling face really makes a difference.    Did you know when you smile, endorphins release inside you, and this can actually change the way you feel. So, sometimes the smile comes first, and joy comes later. It’s a very good discipline to just remember to smile more and let the light of Christ shine through you.    So, how are Christians like pumpkins?   First, God picks us from the patches of life, brings us into his family, and cleans us up.  Then he digs inside of us and scoops out all the yucky stuff that clogs us up.  He gets rid of the seeds of anger and rage and malice—and all those other things which have kept us in bondage far too long.  Then he puts a new look on our face, a new song in our heart, and puts his light inside us to shine through us for all the world to see. This simple presentation can be very effective for children or adults. Just get a pumpkin and as you clean it up and scoop it out and put a smiling face on it with a candle inside, you can explain how in the same way God does this for us who have become his children through faith in Jesus Christ.     I have found that any kind of visual presentation increases the effectiveness of a message considerably. We remember what we see far longer than what we hear. So, if you can use this idea, then please do so.     We have also designed cards with the pumpkin message, and we’re glad to send that to you as well. You can use these cards to teach a great lesson, especially during this season when we’re all making something out of pumpkins. You can download these cards here. Anything we can do to help people understand the beauty of living life as a disciple of Jesus Christ—well, that’s what we want to do.  Sources: A. W. Tozer, Man: The Dwelling Place of God (Camp Hill, PA: Christian Publications, 1966), chap. 26, “Resisting the Enemy.” 

What kind of legacy are you leaving for the people closest to you? There’s another thing we need to be generous to give others—prayer. That takes time and so it’s being generous with your time. How often does someone ask you to pray for them? It’s pretty common in our Christian circles, isn’t it? We nod and assure them we’ll be praying, and then it’s lost in our crowded minds. We forget. I try not to promise to pray for someone unless I genuinely intend to pray for them, and that means I better write it down somewhere because my short-term memory is fading. Or if appropriate, sometimes I just take time right there and pray with them about their situation. Sitting still for long periods of time to pray just doesn’t come easily for me, maybe you, too. I’ve gotten better at praying with my eyes wide open, and as God brings people and situations to my mind, I just send up prayers all through the day. I rather think that’s what the Apostle Paul meant when he said we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It’s just a matter of being in a prayer-ready state all day long, so when you talk with someone about their problem, when you hear some bad news about people you know, when you read the headlines of people who are suffering all around the world, generously and immediately pray for them. You can stop what you’re doing and verbally pray; you can multi-task and pray while you’re sitting in a meeting, driving your car, washing dishes, whatever. Learning to pray with eyes wide open so you can pray without ceasing is one of the most generous gifts you can give someone. So, generously offer to pray for people and then be sure you do. Leaving a legacy of generosity will make a difference for those who come behind you. Generous with your money, your time, your encouragement, and your prayers. My mother’s eight grandchildren remember to this day, 20 years after her death, how Mamaw always prayed for each of them on a certain day every week, as she left them a legacy of a praying grandmother who was very generous with her prayers. What legacy do you want to leave for the people in your life?

How do we create a legacy that will make a difference? In today’s terminology, we might talk about your life’s gootprint—what kind of impact are you making in your world? All of us leave a legacy, whether we think about it or not. We create it by the way we live, the priorities of our lives, how we treat people, and how we love Jesus. One way you can improve your life’s legacy is by being the best encourager you can possibly be. Go into each day with the intent of finding someone to encourage. To encourage someone is to help them be courageous; to help them confidently face whatever they’re dealing with, to assure them that God is going to see them through. If you are very generous with your encouragement, you probably have no idea how many lives you touch with simple words of encouragement. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and 14 remind us of this: Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing (11). And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all (14). Recently I was talking with a friend who is in a new tough job of selling her services to large clients, and she was feeling very inadequate and a little frightened. But I just reminded her of all the experience and expertise she has accumulated through her very impressive career, and I gave her some courage to believe she can do this job. I reminded her how richly God has blessed her with unique abilities and expertise. At the end of our conversation, she was joyful and hopeful, and I realized again how often people just need some courage. They need someone to give them encouragement. It was a joy. Who do you know needs encouragement? Could you set up a time to talk with them and generously give them some courage? And then any time in your day as you deal with people, including your children, mate, or coworkers, look for opportunities to give them some courage—to generously give them your encouragement.

What will people say about you when you’re gone? What footprint will you leave behind? What impact are you having on your world? I mentioned leaving a legacy of generosity with your money. That’s super important because we all like our money, don’t we? And parting with it isn’t so easy. But that’s why giving it away to those who need it gives you that special blessing Jesus talked about. That you receive a bigger blessing by giving money away than you do by receiving it. And for sure, there is more than money we should give away. What about your time? Are you stingy with your time? Honestly, I must watch it because I seem to be very clock-oriented. I’ve often said that I can give away money quicker and easier than I give away time. But forming relationships, mentoring and discipling others takes time. You can’t be stingy about your time if you want to be effective. What I’m discovering is that when I agree to give time to someone else, when I know they need a listening ear and a loving heart, I end up being far more blessed than they are. You are more blessed when you give time to someone than the person you’re giving the time to. And for those of us who have lived more years than most of our friends—and I’m certainly in that category whether you realize it or not—you have wisdom and expertise to offer others who are younger. So, giving away some of your time to share your wisdom is such a blessing, and we need so many more people who intentionally do this—who are intentionally very generous with their time. It’s a wonderful gift you can give; you’ll be blessed when you do.