If you’ve just lost everything and have nothing but the shirt on your back, you still have a lot to give; you can choose to live your entire life as a gift, whether you feel as if you have a lot to offer or not; live to give, and you will be surprised at the resources you have, according to Brad Formsma in his book I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life. The book is a collection of stories and observations on the joys and benefits of generosity.
Key observations made by the author include:
- When we choose to give, we change and the people around us change
- To enter into the joy of giving, you have to be willing to go on a journey that will be scary and uncomfortable at times
- No matter how successful you are, it is giving your life away to others that makes you happy
- It is good to be wise in our giving, but we want to be sure that filters don’t rob us of life-giving opportunities to give
- When you give to others and they seem to waste it, it’s discouraging, but loving someone else never goes to waste
- Giving is something you get to do, not something you’ve got to do
Although the author indicates that he is a Christian, this is not specifically a Christian book. The benefits described apply equally to secular people. Nonetheless, generosity is a key distinguishing feature of a mature Christian lifestyle. The book focuses on the benefits to the giver and although it discusses the possibilities of a gift being refused or wasted, it does not explore in detail the ways in which gifts can have unexpected negative effects, as discussed for example in Toxic Charity.
In a world which seems to be increasingly individualistic and self-centred, where face-to-face community is being replaced by Facebook friendships and competition for the most followers and likes, this book provides an important an inspiring counter-cultural message, and I highly recommend it.