SPARK: 'Who Is Your Generosity Mentor?'

“Who is your generosity mentor? That question was posed at a continuing education event I attended. Our instructor got our attention with the question, then followed with this statement: “Before we attempt to teach you how to grow generosity in others, it’s important to reflect on who helped grow generosity in you.”

Let me pause before I share my answer and ask you, “Who is your generosity mentor?”

I could have named a lot of people: my dad and many people who were members of churches I served as pastor. There are famous people who are very generous and some whose generosity is kept secret. There are people who have very little but are still incredibly generous. I tell a story in some of my workshops about orphan children from Liberia who collected an offering for children in the U.S. affected by Hurricane Katrina.

When the instructor at the continuing education event directed us to turn to the person next to us and share the story of our generosity mentor, one name came out without a moment’s hesitation: Clayton Miller.

Clayton was my pastor when I was growing up. That United Methodist church was lucky enough to have his pastoral leadership for eighteen amazing years, through my school years and into college. When I described him to my neighbor, I was conscious that the generosity I described had nothing to do with money or financial support. He is such a generous person who shares his time, guidance, affirmation, joy, and so much more. He has a generous soul and a generous spirit, and there is no way I could believe he was anything but generous with money.

So, how would you answer the question: “Who is your generosity mentor?”

Philanthropy is born not from a fat financial portfolio but from a generous spirit and a heart of gratitude. Sometimes, the greatest impact we make in our giving comes not from the place that receives our donation but from our influence on others who follow our lead. So, the final question is this: “How will you mentor generosity to someone else?”