“Being generous is more of an attitude of the heart.”
In the busyness of our everyday lives, we rush here and there so much that we often never see people. Let’s be honest with ourselves: when was the last time you truly saw the people around you? For instance, people in the grocery store, mall, restaurant, your neighborhood, school, office breakroom, etc.?
Life is crazy. Maybe you feel like you need to keep your schedule to make every commitment that your family has made. Maybe work is not exactly what you expected, and your stress levels are higher than you would like. Maybe you have young children, and you feel like you do not have an extra minute in your daily life. Maybe you are not in a place where giving financially is easy right now. Even in the craziness of the unexpected situations of life, we can still learn to live generously.
Being generous is more of an attitude of the heart. Generosity comes in all shapes and sizes; we just have to stop long enough to truly see people in order to see their needs.
Try one of these five ways to be more generous.
1. Help a Neighbor With Yard Cleanup
You can help a neighbor, friend, or even a stranger clean their yard. This is a favorite of our family! After storms, there are always limbs, branches, or other debris in our yards. This is usually a no-cost way to be generous, and the receiver of the cleaning is always grateful!
2. Share Homemade Treats
Share some of your homemade treats with a neighbor or someone you know who could use a “pick-me-up.” We love to bake a batch of cookies in our house! There is nothing better than a warm cookie, brownie, or slice of cake to brighten someone’s day. Think through all of the people and workers in your community who could use that little “pick-me-up” or a small thanks through some homemade treats, and share with someone this week!
3. Lend a Hand at the Store
Whether it’s helping someone grab things that are out of reach in a store, helping to put heavy items into the buggy, or helping load groceries into a vehicle, this one is a huge help for people. Again, this is truly seeing people coming through! Sometimes, it really isn’t that the person really needs help, but you can see that they are not having a good day and they just need to feel seen and feel like someone cares enough to offer help.
4. Volunteer in Your Community
You can find lots of places to give of your time and talents in your community; for example, events at your local church, food banks, community cleanup, YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, or even free babysitting for a neighbor to be able to go grocery shopping or for the parents to be able to go out on a date. When you are looking, you are able to see needs all around you!
5. Give Financially to Help Others
If you have been blessed financially, look for needs around you where you can lift burdens off of people. Maybe a couple struggling to make ends meet after someone loses a job; maybe a single parent during the changing of seasons who needs clothes; maybe it’s the person in front of you at the grocery store; maybe it is a medical bill you hear someone is struggling to pay. It really is all about having your heart and mind looking for those needs in order for you to see them and then be able to meet them.
“For it is in giving that we receive.”—St. Francis of Assisi
Final Thoughts
“No single act of generosity remains in isolation. The ripples are many.”—Sarah Winman
I’ve found that when I focus on being grateful, it is easier to spot the needs of others. In today’s world, it seems like we are told over and over that it’s all about self—do what makes you happy — but I have found that when I am grateful, generosity flows much more freely, and I think that it is a change in mindset of receiving joy, not from having every need and want met, but by meeting the needs of someone else even if in a very small way.
“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35, NIV)
Jessica Buckhaults is a volunteer at Venture Church’s Jones County Campus. She and her family live in Ellisville, Mississippi.
Common Questions About Generosity
What does the Bible say about generosity?
The Bible says giving blesses the giver, too. Paul reminded the church of Jesus’ words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35, NIV)
He also wrote that we should give “not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, NIV)
Generosity starts in the heart.
How can I be generous without spending money?
Give your time and your attention. Cleaning up a yard after a storm, helping someone load groceries, or simply stopping long enough to really see the person in front of you costs nothing. Generosity is more of an attitude of the heart than a dollar amount.
How can I be generous when life is so busy?
Start small and look for needs already along your path. You do not have to add a big commitment to your calendar; helping someone reach something at the store or sharing a plate of cookies with a neighbor fits into a normal week. I’ve found that when I focus on being grateful, it is easier to spot the needs of others.
Next Steps: Generosity in South Mississippi
If this post has you seeing the people around you a little differently, I would love for you to take one small step this week. Here are a few ways to get started.
Give: Be Generous in South Mississippi
Serve: Find a Place to Serve at Venture Church
Love Your Neighbor: Serve Your Neighbors Alongside Your Church
New Here?: Plan a Visit to a Campus
Related Reading
Looking for easy ways to love your neighbors this season? Read 5 Fun Ways to Show Up for Your Neighbor This Fall.
Know someone who is hurting this season? Read Navigating Grief During the Holidays.