A generous life

I am willing to sacrifice it if it be necessary. This was the spirit of the Saviour, and of all the early Christians. Duty is of more importance than life; and when either duty or life is to be sacrificed, life is to be cheerfully surrendered

Albert Barnes, James G. Murphy, F. C. Cook, E. B. Pusey, H. C. Leupold, and Robert Frew, Barnes' Notes [Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 1996], Acts 20:24

When Air Florida Flight 90 smashed into a frozen lake in the middle of a snowstorm, all but six passengers were killed. Some 20 minutes later, a helicopter arrived to rescue the survivors. After getting one man to safety, the helicopter threw a life-ring to Arland Williams … who immediately gave it to the passenger next to him. When the helicopter came back for a third time, he did the same thing again. And again. When the helicopter came back a final time, Arland was dead. He’d used his last ounce of strength to save a complete stranger.

Karl Smallwood, "The Ten Most Inspiring Self-Sacrifices" Listverse, January 15, 2013, https://listverse.com/2013/01/15/the-top-10-most-inspiring-self-sacrifices/

...means a consuming and controlling desire for what others have and for more of what we ourselves already have. ‘Thou shalt not covet’ is the last of the Ten Commandments, but if we do covet, we will end up breaking all the other nine! Those who covet will steal, lie, and murder to get what they want, and even dishonor their own parents. Covetousness is idolatry (Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5)

Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary [Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996], 1:488

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Scientific research provides compelling data to support the anecdotal evidence that giving is a powerful pathway to personal growth and lasting happiness. Through fMRI technology, we now know that giving activates the same parts of the brain that are stimulated by food and sex. Experiments show evidence that altruism is hardwired in the brain—and it’s pleasurable. Helping others may just be the secret to living a life that is not only happier but also healthier, wealthier, more productive, and meaningful.

Jenny Santi, “The Secret to Happiness Is Helping Others,” Time, August 4, 2017, http://time.com/collection-post/4070299/secret-to-happiness/

The law of the kingdom is this—that if a man gives to gain reward he will receive no reward; but if a man gives with no thought of reward his reward is certain. The only real giving is that which is the uncontrollable outflow of love.

William Barclay, ed., The Gospel of Luke [Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster John Knox Press, 1975], 191

You cannot expect to be paid twice, if therefore you take your reward in the applause of men, who give you a high character for generosity, you cannot expect to have any reward from God” We ought to have a single eye to God’s accepting what we give, and to have little or no thought of what man may say concerning our charitable gifts.

C. H. Spurgeon, C. H. Spurgeon’s Expositions, vol. 1 [Grace-eBooks.com, 2011], Matthew 6:1

The Lord warns against hypocrisy and outward show in religious duties. All deeds must be done from an inward principle, that the doer may be approved of God, not praised of men. When the doer takes least notice of his or her good deeds, God takes most notice of them. To ‘sound one’s own trumpet’ today is to flaunt one’s own good works or accomplishments.

J. M. Freeman and H. J. Chadwick Manners & Customs of the Bible [North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 1998], 413

Following a great sermon on lifestyle evangelism one family thought they had better do something to witness to Jesus. So they invited their neighbours to dinner the following Friday night. When it came to the meal, the hostess was keen to show their neighbours that they upheld Christian standards in their home. So she asked little 5 year old Johnny to say grace. Little Johnny was a bit shy. ‘I don't know what to say.’ … ‘Well darling,’ she said, ‘just say what Daddy said at breakfast this morning.’ Obediently, the boy repeated, ‘Oh God, we've got those awful people coming to dinner tonight’

"Just the Truth" Christians Unite, accessed May 30, 2018, http://jokes.christiansunite.com/Hypocrites/Just_the_Truth.shtml

If our desire is to do right—to give light—we’re acting in the spirit of Christ. But if we only desire to appear right—to get the spotlight—we have the wrong motive.

Mart DeHaan, "What is Your Motive?" Our Daily Bread, November 21, 1999, https://odb.org/1999/11/21/what-is-your-motive/

The widow cast in more than all the wealthy in the sense that relatively to their respective means, her gift was incomparably the greater. All of which means that it is not how much we give to God, but how much we withhold for ourselves, that He is concerned about. The lesson is also brought home to our hearts that in the last analysis, God wants, not what we have, but us, our hearts

K. S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English Reader [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997], 1:243

...we are disposed to measure the value of actions quantitatively rather than qualitatively. Moreover, we are better judges of actions than of motives, and can see the outward conduct much clearer than the inward character. God, therefore, in his word, constantly teaches us that he looks rather upon the inward than the outward. In this case, the value of the woman’s gift was measured, not by quantity, but its quality; in quantity it was two mites, in quality it was the gift of all she had. From considering the corrupt character of the Pharisees, Jesus must have turned with pleasure to look upon the beautiful heart of this devout widow

J. W. McGarvey & P. Y. Pendleton, The Four-Fold Gospel [Cincinnati, OH: The Standard Publishing Company, 1914] 612

The temple sported ostentatious wealth, and its officials would probably waste this widow’s money; but this powerless woman, ignorant of that likelihood, acts in good faith and is the greatest giver in God’s sight.

Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993], 170

...found that lower-income people were more generous, charitable, trusting and helpful to others than were those with more wealth.

Judith Warner, “The Charitable-Giving Divide,” New York Times Magazine, August 20, 2010, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/22/magazine/22FOB-wwln-t.html?ref=magazine

Everybody in the Church needs this word. To himself, every man is in a sense the most important person in the world, and it always needs much grace to see what other people are, and to keep a sense of moral proportion.

Wuest, Word Studies, 2:209

He always made his own bed, no matter where we traveled. I remember we were in Shanghai, in a very fancy hotel, and the Chinese hospitality requires that the person who cleans your room and provides you with your food, does exactly that. If you do it for yourself, it could even be regarded as an insult. So in Shanghai I tried to say to him, ‘Please don’t make your own bed, because there’s this custom here.’ And he said, ‘Call them, bring them to me.’ So I did. I asked the hotel manager to bring the ladies who would be cleaning the room, so that he could explain why he himself has to make his own bed, and that they not feel insulted. He didn’t ever want to hurt people’s feelings. He never really cared about what great big people think of him, but he did care about what small people thought of him.

Kharunya Paramaguru, “5 Great Stories about Nelson Mandela’s Humility, Kindness and Courage,” Time, December 6, 2013, http://world.time.com/2013/12/06/5-great-stories-about-nelson-mandelas-humility-kindness-and-courage

When she finished her first Potter manuscript, it was sent to 12 publishing houses, all of which rejected the book. A year later, Rowling found a publisher, but was advised to get a day job since she probably wouldn’t make money in children’s books. But that didn’t stop her. She ultimately wrote seven books in the series and gained a worldwide following.

Rona Cherry, "5 Famous People Who Learned from Failure" Beliefnet, http://www.beliefnet.com/entertainment/celebrities/5-famous-people-who-learned-from-failure.aspx?p=2

Participants who gave time by writing to a sick child felt like they had more time than those who wasted time. Although both giving time and wasting time could signal that one has an abundance of time, only giving time led participants to perceive their time as more abundant

Marguerite Rigoglioso, "Research: There Are Big Benefits to Giving Your Time" Insights, Stanford Business, February 21, 2013, https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/research-there-are-big-benefits-giving-your-time