How to Cultivate a Spirit of Giving

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

─ Luke 1:46-50 ESV

How to Cultivate a Spirit of Giving

Lights, trees, presents, parties… What kind of Christmas do you want? You can share the love of Christ in many ways this Christmas. It requires a spirit of giving and a determination to focus on others.

In our verse today, Mary, the mother of Jesus, considered the child she carried and counted herself blessed because God had chosen her to carry His Son, a gift to the world. She looked to future generations who would experience His mercy for every generation after her.

Here are some practical ideas of things you can do to make this Christmas everything you’ve ever dreamed it could be by choosing to cultivate a heart of giving.

Give Your Time

• Many places would appreciate your help this Christmas. Once you commit to a specific time, date and location, be sure to show up.
• Wrap presents for children through an organization that collects toys for underprivileged children.
• Christmas is a very stressful and busy time for young parents. Perhaps you could offer to babysit while the parents go out and invest in their marriage.
• Prepare a meal for a neighbor or person in your church who is shut in. Take the meal over and spend some time with them.
• Join a team that is serving meals to those who will be in shelters this holiday season.

Give Kindness

• Choose to be patient. Everyone hates waiting in line. It really helps if you can keep a good attitude while waiting.
• Offer a kind word to those behind the cash registers. It’s refreshing when someone offers encouragement instead of complaints.
• When you’re stuck in traffic, prefer others and allow them to merge into traffic in front of you.
• Be exceptionally courteous; remember to say “Please,” and “Thank you.”

Be Generous

• When you go out to eat, give your server a nice tip.
• Perhaps you’ll choose to give more this year financially to organizations offering help and hope.

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