Today’s challenge is to start a generosity pot. How much? How often? How I do procrastinate!!! I give a set percentage of my income to church and various charities. It goes out by standing order. And although a while since I last reviewed it, I am fairly confident that it is about the right amount. But this challenge is not about the religious obligation or discipline of tithing or giving to charity, it is about going over and above that. It is about being generous. I am not, by nature, a generous person with my money. It’s the way I was raised. My dad was an accountant! I learnt early on not to waste money, that it was for saving rather than spending. But having said that, my dad was generous when it came to birthday and Christmas presents, especially as he got older and had more spare cash.
As I sat musing drinking my 2nd up of tea this morning prior to dressing and prayer time, I looked at the shimmering purple cloth that’s on my prayer table (plastic box with cork bathmat) set in the mess of my ‘art’ room, and the song ‘you laid aside your majesty’ came to mind. Jesus gave up everything for me – he who is king of kings and lord of lords, became human, lived a generous life, giving of himself for others, and for me. Whatever I do to the least of his brothers (and sisters) I do unto him. He has been generous to me and I want to be generous to him.
So today I set up a generosity pot by a standing order transfer from my main bank account to another one that’s been sitting doing nothing. It isn’t a large amount but at least I know it will be put aside for when I want to be generous.
Elizabeth Jones' Diary 