Why being generous is good for you.

What do you know! Jesus was right all along and Science is finally catching up.  It is more blessed to give than to receive.

For those of us who are committed disciples of Jesus Christ we are never surprised when He is proved right.  Once again the empirical evidence has quantified what Jesus said.  In our culture many believe that spending money on ourselves will make us happier than spending money on others, but the opposite is true.  In one study participants were asked to spend five dollars on themselves or to spend five dollars on someone else.  The group that spent the money on others was measurably happier than those who spent the money on themselves.

God has wired our brains so that the pleasure and reward centers light up when we give.  This means that the real joy in the act of giving is experienced not by the receiver but by the giver.  Here are some of the reasons this is the case:

·      When you give, your body releases feel-good endorphins, the same ones associated with a runner’s high.

·      When you give, your body produces Oxytocin, a hormone that is released during sex, which lowers stress and makes you feel more connected to others. 

·      This dose of Oxytocin will cause people to give more generously and feel more empathy toward others.  These ‘symptoms’ can last for up to two hours.

·      This positive emotional effect can have a chain reaction-one act of giving leading to another and then another….

·      Witnessing generosity can spur more acts of generosity.  This is especially important as we consider the approaches we’re taking to receive the offerings during worship.

·      Many small gifts have a stronger effect than a single or few large ones.  That means that the faithful, weekly giving Paul spoke about in I Corinthians 16:2 is a wise practice. 

·      Gifts that involve participation have a more positive effect than gifts singularly enjoyed.  Biblical Fellowship has a compounding effect on those we serve with as well as on us personally.

·      Generosity is one of the key factors for a happy marriage.

·      Consistent, small acts of kindness are more effective than big-ticket gifts at holidays.

If you will think for a minute this has a profound implication for the way we approach the offering at our churches.  The offering is not a drudgery to be endured; it is a delight to be celebrated.

We sometimes call worship a celebration.  Can we take that same celebrative spirit into the worship of giving?