gratitude and giving
What steps can you take to cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude and love for your neighbors?
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
I often tell people that I am a Christian because I am a recovering asshole. The truth is that I need a community of accountability and a constant reminder to be kind and generous. And just as often, I see people (many of them non-Christian) shaping what it means to be a Christian to me: people joyfully leaving everything behind to start a home for children experiencing homelessness, grandparents raising grandchildren, people donating most of their wealth to worthy causes.
Strangely enough, the most generous people I know don’t give out of pressure or self-righteousness, but out of deep love for their neighbors and gratitude. So maybe, instead of trying to cultivate forced generosity, I should be focusing more on cultivating a sense of gratitude and love for my neighbors. And maybe then I would be less of an asshole and more of a cheerful giver.
What steps can you take to cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude and love for your neighbors?