I am often completely amazed when encountering a story about some cutting-edge research that reports a finding that seems so incredibly obvious. For example, it seems common to find stories that report that most children lack impulse control; that teenagers are better drivers when their friends aren’t passengers in the vehicle; that driving slowly reduces the likelihood of an accident; or that reaction time increases with age. However, these articles that provide ground-breaking results are often intriguing because they identify a nuance that is not so obvious. In some instances, the discovery, or “the what,” fuels our curiosity to better understand “the why.”
During the month of November and especially in preparation for our generosity potluck luncheon (remember, the church will provide the pulled pork; we need you to bring a side dish to share) Sunday afternoon at 1:00, we have been focusing on the theme of gratitude and generosity. The connection between gratitude and generosity seems somewhat obvious—the more we realize how much we benefit from God’s grace, the more compassionate and aware we are of opportunities to share with others.
The Bible is filled with examples that demonstrate the impact of the graceful host upon those who are invited to the banquet. From the very beginning, God is the graceful host who places humanity (Adam and Eve) in the garden with everything that they need. In the New Testament, we hear of several parables of the gracious hosts who invite guests to the party. The guests are so appreciative of the invitation, they eagerly invite others and share readily.
One of the reasons that it is easy to share so freely is the understanding of the abundance of the provisions. In other words, when there is no fear that there may not be enough, people share generously. However, when people become confused about the ultimate source of the abundance and when they conclude that they are the source of the things that they enjoy, concerns about scarcity dominate. If there isn’t enough for everyone, someone has to decide who will receive and who will be denied.
In my home church, St. Stephen UMC in Yazoo City, we would sing different offertory responses on Sunday mornings. One of the responses that was most memorable (in part, because it was much shorter than singing the Gloria Patri or The Lord’s Prayer) was “All Things Come of Thee.” It was years later that I learned that the lyrics were a quotation of a scripture—1 Chronicles 29:14. The words were a powerful reminder that our offering to God was simply giving back to God a small part of what we had already received from God. Most importantly, God’s grace is inexhaustible.
Concerns about scarcity can become so prevalent that even in situations when there is little to no possibility of a shortage, people can become reluctant to be generous. Acts of generosity can be viewed with suspicion—people begin to ask “why is this person being generous?" or “what do they expect from me in return?”
Acts of generosity that are shared because of a simple feeling of gratitude can unleash a cascade of positive interactions and connections among people. Think of the last time someone that you did not know well did something nice for you. The act could be as simple as holding the door, offering directions, extending a compliment or initiating a greeting such as “good morning.” Both the person engaging in the kind act and the person receiving the kind gesture can feel good (or grateful).
While the sense of gratitude can be shared by a simple generous act between two people, the surprising nuance is the positive benefit upon those who witness the exchange. It isn’t just the good feeling that we experience when we are generous towards others or when someone is generous towards us. We benefit from seeing two people be nice to each other. Witnessing generosity can inspire people to be more generous.
The various ministries of Christ UMC have touched the lives of many, many people over the years inside the church, throughout the community, and around the world. In the coming year, we hope to continue and expand the variety of ministries offered at the church. As the church continues to welcome new members and guests of all ages, and as we continue to build connections among lifelong members and first-time visitors, we envision developing stronger connections with those who participate in our online ministries. We are extremely grateful for the unbelievable generosity of members and supporters over the years. We are looking forward to providing more details about some of the ways Christ UMC has been able to transform lives because of your generosity. We are grateful to God, and we are thankful for you. Together, we are able to continue the legacy of service throughout the Quad Cities and beyond.
We are looking forward to seeing you Sunday afternoon for the generosity potluck. We will provide information about the ministries—“the what”— and the expanding sense of gratitude and generosity—“the why.” We are also looking forward to seeing you in worship, in class and on the mission field as we share our witness of the love of Christ with everyone we meet.
In Christ,
Jon McCoy
