OPINION:
When was the last time you reflected on the culture of your family? Imagine if a reporter were to stay in your home for one week and write a story about your family, what would they say? What would be the terms they use to describe your priorities, actions, and attitudes? We have all had good and bad weeks in our homes, but what are the values that guide your family regardless of circumstances? Values such as unconditional love, honesty, and faith are certainly the cornerstones of a strong family unit. However, in today’s increasingly individualistic society, there is one value that yields lasting returngenerosity. Here’s why.
Generosity Adds Meaning and Joy
To live generously is to live in sync with our God-given design. We were made in God’s image and one of His most defining characteristics is generosity. God gave us the most extravagant gift ever. He gave us His Son and, through Him, offers the free gift of salvation to all.
This is why living generously makes life meaningful and joyful. As Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Just in case we need any convincing about that, countless secular studies back it up.
For example, in the book, “Happy Money”, professors Elizabeth Dunn of the University of British Columbia and Michael Norton of Harvard, describe a study in which the spending habits of hundreds of Americans were analyzed. The study found that how much money individuals devoted to themselves was unrelated to their overall happiness. What did predict happiness was the amount of money they gave away. “The more they invested in others,” the authors concluded, “the happier they were.”
At Christian Community Credit Union, we have proudly given over $6 million to various Christian charities, going as far as offering a credit card that automatically gives to these charities with each use. As a result, we have seen and experienced returns that far exceed any stock market, because it is impacting lives in a positive way for eternity. Nothing could match the joy that truth brings.
Generosity Deepens Your Family’s Relationship with Christ
The Bible says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). In other words, our heart follows our money. Invest in a particular stock and you will probably find yourself checking on it frequently. Your time, attention, and heart are devoted to where you’ve invested some of your treasure.
Giving toward Christ-centered causes directs our hearts toward Him. As in his book “True Riches,” John Cortines writes, “I never cared much about children trapped in poverty, until I began giving to Compassion International. Slowly, over time, I began to ache for every child in need to be fed, educated, and taught about Jesus.”
Cortines says we shouldn’t wait until we care deeply about certain causes before giving. Instead, we should give to causes because God cares deeply about them. Our care will follow as we increasingly see the world through God’s eyes. When generosity becomes part of your family culture, you are equipping your children with the cares and heart of God.
Generosity is Contagious
If you have children (or grandchildren), your role-modeling in this area of generosity is likely to shape their generosity as well. In fact, a study by Fidelity Charitable found that of parents who give to charitable organizations, more than three-quarters (81%) of their children have participated in giving activities within the last year.
If we want the best for our children, some of the greatest gifts we can give them are an “others-centered” outlook and the habit of living generously. The best way we can do that is to model such a life. As has been said before about teaching our children, more will be caught than taught.
The world is a very uncertain and unpredictable place. But this much is guaranteed: A life lived generously will generate great returns.
Next Steps
Consider doing the following with your family:
1. Assess Your Values: Discuss what values you feel guide your family. Listen to what terms your kids, relatives, and loved ones use to describe what they feel is important to your family.
2. Decide to Be a Generous Family: Values are intentional, repeated, and celebrated. As a result, decide that generosity will be one of your family’s core values. Write this value somewhere where it can be visible along with your other stated values.
3. Take Action: Find an immediate action your family can experience together that shows the value of generosity and do it on a regular basis. For example, each month provide a meal to a family going through a rough time, create a family donation to a particular cause each month, volunteer at your church, etc.
Christian Community Credit Union (www.mycccu.com) is proud to offer quality banking products and solutions that have generosity embedded into them. CCCU invites you to take a moment and see if one of their products might be a great way to bring that value to your family. Regardless of what you choose, may we all strive to have generous families. By doing so, you will experience greater joy, a deeper relationship with Christ, and it will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.
• Nick Lacy is the AVP of Marketing and Analysis at Christian Community Credit Union (CCCU) where he oversees market research, analysis, and strategy. His background includes over 15 years of pastoral and executive ministry experience, former vice president of corporate strategy for a technology company, and a strategic and creative communications consultant. He has also been a featured expert on the topic of strategic execution in various publications, and holds a Masters degree in Ministry Management from Azusa Pacific University.
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