Is God calling you to live more generously? I have never asked this question and heard no as the answer. Every time I ponder this question God challenges me to a greater level of generosity— not because he wants me to give all my time, talent, and treasure away to others, but because he wants me to live a free and happy life. The happiest people I know are the most generous people I know, and they seem free from the things of this world in a way that is to be admired.
Every time I think about how God is challenging me to live a more generous life, I think about the money I spend on frivolous things that I don’t really need and the time I waste just being lazy. All this brings me to the realization that God is not calling me to give up something that is essential to my welfare or happiness, or the welfare and happiness of my family; he is just asking me to generously dispense a portion of my excess.
But still, I am resistant. Are you resistant to the generosity God is calling you to? This is one of the baffling parts of the spiritual journey. At every step God leads us into a better life than before, filled with more joy, freedom, and happiness—and yet we still resist the next step. So, what’s holding you back from being more generous? Is it real or imagined?
Now, here is today’s generosity habit.
Plant a tree. Give this gift to the children of today and tomorrow. The air we breathe provides the oxygen we need to live, which in turn rids the body of waste and toxins. So, breathe deep, plant a tree, and give the gift of fresh air to the people of tomorrow. Being generous with the environment is a way of being generous with future generations.
Matthew Kelly
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