“What’s In It For You?”

A few weeks ago, I found myself in a fascinating conversation with a handful of friends. The conversation meandered to generosity. Knowing that generosity is one of my favorite topics in the world, one of the men at the table asked me a question: "What's in it for you? Why are you so into this stuff? What are you getting out of it?"

"Nothing. That's the point," I responded. In order for our giving to be true generosity, we can't receive anything in return. If we give and expect something in return, that's a transaction. That's done with motives, not a generous spirit.

"But why?" my friend continued to press. "If you're not getting anything in return, why not just spend it on yourself?"

Ah, now we were getting to the true heart of the topic. There's a cultural thread woven into the fabric of our society that says that if we earn it, it's ours to enjoy on ourselves. While this is legally true, it's not the highest and best use of our resources. When I look at the resources I'm blessed with, there's a tension at play. I can spend on my wants......or spend on other people's needs. If I don't put a pool in my backyard, my kids have to use the public pool. If those starving children don't eat, they might die. If I don't buy another pair of boots, I might not be as color-coordinated. If that family can't get their utility bill paid, they won't have running water. The math feels simple to me. Money spent on other people's needs has a significantly higher ROI than money spent on my own wants. I’m not saying there’s anything inherently wrong with spending money on pools or boots; I’m just trying to paint a picture of how my brain works.

We do actually get something from our giving, though. Heart change. When we give without expecting anything in return, something inside us changes. A selfish little piece inside of us dies, and something new is born. Each act of giving rips us apart a little more, a little more, a little more. If we're not careful, we might inadvertently undergo a full heart surgery. The old us is gone, replaced by someone new.

"What's in it for you?" Nothing.....and everything.

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