God loves a cheerful receiver
Most of us are not very good at receiving compliments. A friend had just delivered a fine sermon, so I gave him a heartfelt compliment. His deflective, “humble” response was to give all credit to God. I replied, “I could swear I saw your lips moving!” Perhaps even more striking is our inability to be…
Sometimes you need to receive
Some time ago, during a morning walk, I found a wallet a few blocks from my house. I looked around, hoping the owner might still be close by, but there was no one. Just me. A peek inside revealed a library card, a health card and $25 in bills. That was it. No credit cards.…
Regrets on parting with my old bicycle
This past summer I had my own Diderot Effect moment. The term comes from Grant McCracken, an anthropologist who has studied patterns of consumption. He coined it from an essay written by Denis Diderot, a French philosopher in the late 18th century. Diderot’s essay, “Regrets on parting with my old dressing gown,” opens with a…
‘Wholehearted giving’
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (II Corinthians 9:7). My two-year-old daughter examined the chocolate doughnut hole for a moment before taking a bite. Her face lit up instantly, and in her excitement she began to…
Communication is key
A will is your last communication with your family. Many of us are uncomfortable planning for our death, but the chaos, confusion and potential for conflict in families where there is no will should offset your discomfort. A properly written will explains how you want your assets distributed. I would argue it is equally important…
A severe case of ‘generosi-phobia’
On a sunny lunch break while attending high school, I went for my customary walk into town. A classmate drove up in his shiny two-door coupe and offered a ride. Because he had already offered rides to other students, I soon found myself in the back seat beneath a pile of humanity. I panicked. I…
Developing our generosity skills
An early sign of spring in southern Ontario is seeing sports teams move their practices outside. The sight of children and youth in colourful uniforms on the soccer pitch is a sure sign that May is here. I am actively involved in our local soccer club and both my children have played for years. I…
Why should I give to your church?
Helping people give money away over the past 15 years has been a tremendously rewarding part of my work at Mennonite Foundation of Canada. Many of these generous people are from the “builder generation” (born in or before 1945). The builders I’ve spoken with give generously, value church institutions and trust the people who run…
Lend a Bible camp your helping hand
A number of people glanced over as they passed the elderly woman working in her front lawn. She had finished planting flowers in the garden and was now struggling to plant a sapling to replace a tree felled by a wind storm the previous summer. “Can I help you?” offered a young man stopping in…
That’s a lot of money!
I remember a special gift from my Grandpa: a $20 bill in a Christmas card. It came with one instruction: Grandpa had to see my purchase. It was a lot of money for a 10-year old! It was the first time I’d had that much money, and I was a little concerned about using it…
