Generosity
When we think of the word “generosity,” I think most of us automatically think of money - giving money to the poor, sharing our resources, for example. But more recently I have been thinking about how the giving of our time might be the ultimate form of generosity.
Why? Because material assets are not finite. We can go out and make more money. We can buy more food. We can acquire more physical assets, but we can’t get time back once it has been spent. Time is a finite resource.
Once we give time away, we can never get it back whether it’s a brief encounter with a stranger in the park or a leisurely meal shared with a friend.
I was reminded of that this weekend as I had brunch with a friend I haven’t seen in more than 30 years. This friend made time for me and listened to me, providing a safe space to vocalize thoughts I don’t often freely share. Beyond that, this friend picked up the tab. Though paying for my meal was a generous gesture - “You’re in my town” - the time we spent together was far more valuable.
This morning I am meditating on Luke 6:38 in a different light:
”Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Friends, go out there and be generous today.
“But to a friend, time is an investment of the heart, not just the hand. Friends spend time. ”
