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Not long after my wife and I joined our church here in New York City (now nearly 18 years ago), I remember being stunned during the annual stewardship campaign when fellow members came to the lectern to give personal, and many times emotional, testimonials about how giving transformed their lives.
My wife, who was raised as a Baptist, reacted along the lines of “It’s about time!” My own upbringing as a cradle Episcopalian—and I mean this literally, as I was baptized at Episcopal Divinity School where my father was a seminarian—had not prepared me for the open conversation about money. I just looked at my shoes.
One Sunday, a tall and beautiful member of our parish stepped to the lectern to speak. I didn’t know the woman well, but I’d certainly noticed her (who wouldn’t have?). I decided this time I wouldn’t look at my shoes.
She told a very affecting story of how giving to our church had transformed her life and ended with this line: “Don’t just give until it hurts, give until it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
That sentence has stayed with me ever since, because it gets at a fundamental truth about giving. The more you give (and I don’t mean necessarily money), the better you will feel.
It turns out that science backs this up. An article in the Health section of the New York Times on Tuesday describes how helping others actually leads to biological changes that increase emotional and physical well being:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/health/01well.html?emc=eta1
It ends with a wonderful quote from Dr. Stephen Post: “To rid yourself of negative emotional states you need to push them aside with positive emotional states. And the simplest way to do that is to just go out and lend a helping hand to somebody.”
In what ways are you sharing your gifts with others during this season of giving? How is it making a difference in your life?
Tags: caring, episcopal relief & development, giving, health, helping
December 4th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Giving to Episcopal Relief & Development on a regularly planned schedule is very fulfilling as it is not a hit or miss impulse donation. Donating in honor of my family members is my way of giving something lasting and teaching the little ones about sharing with those who need our help.
December 4th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
I highly recommend reading “Transforming Stewardship” by Canon Chuck Robertson which can be purchased from Church Publishing. This book reignited my passion for mission. One of the key points made in the book was financial stewardship is not the goal of a stewardship program; finances are the means to achieving the goal, which is reaching out to others.
December 4th, 2009 at 9:00 pm
I am reading a book you might be interested in,( if you haven’t already read it.)
Everything Must Change
by Brian D. McLaren
thanks for your message, this book supports it
Jeanne Bolen, CHC Memphis, Tn
December 4th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
You may also be interested in (or already familiar with):
http://www.serrv.org
They have an informative catalog with references to handmade products by low-income artisans and farmers
Their Mission - to eradicate poverty wherever it resides
Jeanne Bolen
December 28th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Beautiful. I heard we are to give until it feels good.