Generosity Makes a Big Impact

I have a close friend and supporter who asked me to come to the place where he works. Nothing more than that, just a simple request to meet him. This does not happen often so my curiosity was running high! I sat in the parking lot waiting for him to come out and when he did, he was walking awkwardly carrying something quite bulky. As he neared, I saw that it was a small air compressor. Immediately, my mind went back to a conversation we had a few weeks back about me wishing I had a small portable air compressor in my shed. I remember saying something like, “I think I’ll find all kind of uses for something like that, but I just can’t justify spending the money right now.”

When he put the compressor in my truck and looked at me and smiled, my heart seemed to leap out of my chest. Not only was this a great gift to receive but it is tough to describe how much it meant to me to know that my friend cared about me enough to sense when I needed something and do something about it.

In his book “The Genius of Generosity,” Chip Ingram gives his reasons for why true genius coincides with a generous heart. All his reasons are good, but it was his last reason that struck me. Generosity is genius because it “frees our hearts.” So simple and yet so profound. As followers in Christ, we commit ourselves to seeking a life of total surrender to his lordship and investing talents in eternal things (“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 ESV).

The world, the flesh, and the devil all war at our hearts and seek to take us away from Christ. A simple act of generosity, much like that of my friend giving me a gift that he knew I needed, was a direct hit on the enemy’s attempt to hijack his heart. Not only was this an act of freedom for his own heart, it blessed me nearly to the point of tears and gave me a renewed desire to find ways to be generous to others. Giving an air compressor to a friend in need may seem like a small thing to some, but to me, it was ultimately an act of worship that brought glory to our God and great encouragement to my heart!

July is our month of gratitude! As a thank you to our supporters, please check out our 30-day devotional City Prayers Volume 2.

Read more from Daren Busenitz.