Generosity

There is an incredible amount of satisfaction in generosity. The more I give, the more I tend to receive and there is no regretting an investment into the hearts of others. I do not consider myself a wealthy individual, as a matter of fact, selling off my possessions would allow me to live lavishly in a 3 star motel for about a week. University life dictates that I do not really require more than the basic necessities. A laptop for my assignments, a mattress to lay my head at night and perhaps a few cans of baked beans for lunch! 

Nevertheless, I did manage to work at one of South Africa's leading telecommunications companies. It was an opportunity that I was extremely grateful for. Within 3 months, I had managed to earn enough money to sustain myself at university for the following year. In addition to this, I bought myself a state of the art gaming PC, with a 25" LCD screen. The PC was my most monumental purchase and I found myself completely astonished by how much material wealth I had accumulated over the past few months. Granted, I did spend a large portion of my earnings on my Girl Friend but I simply could not justify my need for some of my own personal purchases.

Recently, I took a step back in my life and questioned my necessities. There were things that I really did not require. It was in that moment that I decided to call up my younger brother and offer him the computer as a reward for achieving well in his grades. The offering seemed logically absurd because my computer did constitute nearly half of what I owned. However, I felt a compelling desire to give it to somebody that could put the computer to better use. Needless to say, my generous action gave me a stupendous sense of gratification...

Later that afternoon, my father called and told me that he had just bought 2 brand new Chevrolet 1.4 Club bakkies. He offered me one of the vehicles as a reward for doing well in my grades. It is spectacular how a simple act of giving had been a prelude to such an awesome reward. Just prior to receiving news about the car, I had been day-dreaming about camping and how amazing it would be to go out into the bush and just appreciate mother nature. At the time, the dream seemed far fetched because I had no way of pursuing the interest without a vehicle but father had just made it a reality. 

To make the assumption that giving away your possessions will lead an increase in wealth is foolish. However,  assessing that which you do not require and offering it "intelligently" to those in need, can yield greater returns morally. Personally, I find that my generosity strengthens my sense of self-respect and self-worth. There is no payment in the world that can compare to the value of giving. 

Acts 20:35 

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”