>(each of the “it’s about time” installments are the result of my mostly attentive note-taking during recent messages delivered by jeff kinkade at my church).

the secret to real joy in life is generosity. not just talking about financial generosity but rather all year-round generosity. not talking about human generosity which is often motivated by a desire for recognition or for a tax break. but rather self-sacrificing, soul-energizing, God-glorifying generosity. “The generous sould will be made rich and he who waters will be watered himself” (Proverbs 11:25). the word used for “generous” in the original translation actually means “to bless”. you can bless people in a variety of ways, with your tongue (kind, helpful words), your time, your talents and your treasure. who are you blessing in each of these ways?

what happens to people who are genuinely generous? they…

prosper — do not perpetrate the notion of prosperity theology – that you will be wealthy if you give money. you can prosper by being a very joyful person. we live in a selfish, sinful and fallen world. generosity is something that has a boomerang effect. it brings joy to your life that is not characteristic of a fallen world.

the measure of a life is not its duration but its donation.
— (peter marshall, former U.S. Senate Chaplain)

generous people are…

people of vision — they are sure that God wants to use them for some purpose. take time soon to write a vision statement for your life, in part answering the questions, “what do i want to be remembered for?”

intentional — they are sensitive to the Spirit of God and who He is leading across their paths. most of us are so focused on the tiny tasks of our lives that we miss the bigger and more obvious opportunities that present themselves to us on a daily basis. we should be asking ourselves, “what can i do today to make a difference in the world?”

thankful — they cultivate a habit of thankfulness, the genuine kind.

selfless — they are not the kind of people looking for recognition or a pat on the back. they know that God knows what they have done. generous people don’t give looking for something in return. they give without expectations.

soon, do these things:

*write a vision statement for your life
* look for opportunities to be generous
*cultivate the habit of thankfulness
*give your life away without expectations