Martin Luther King Jr. once said that life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others?” I came across that quote while reading Today Matters by one of my favorite leadership authors, John Maxwell, and honestly — we can all agree how true it still is.
We live in times where it’s all too easy to get caught up in ourselves, becoming selfish, self-centered, and unconcerned about how the person next door is doing. A world where the trending mindset is: “Get all you can, and can all you get.”
So many messages out there promote self-love and self-indulgence that people are no longer inclined to be generous or helpful to others.
It’s no surprise then that Paul warned Timothy about what people’s attitudes would be like in the last days:
2 Timothy 3:2 (NIV)“People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money…”
And if you really think about it — you can only use so much for yourself. You can only drive one car at a time, no matter how many are in your garage. You can only wear one outfit at a time, no matter how luxurious your wardrobe might be.
So why not be generous instead? 🤔
Life feels most fulfilling when we pour into others. That’s when life truly makes sense — seeing how your time, effort, and resources lift those around you.
And generosity isn’t just about money. We need to debunk that idea completely. John Maxwell puts it perfectly:
“People don’t give from the top of their purses but from the bottom of their hearts. If you desire to become more generous, don’t wait for your income to change. Change your heart. Do that, and you’ll become a giver regardless of your income or circumstances.”
Remember what Paul told the elders of the church in Ephesus before leaving:
Acts 20:35 (NIV) “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
And here’s something to think about: Did you know you can literally lend to God? 🤔
Proverbs 19:17 (NIV) “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
I don’t know about you… but if God’s going to owe me for obedience and generosity — I’m taking that blessing every time. 😌😁
So hey — get God indebted to you today. Bless someone.
Live generously.
