Three friends and I huddled around a small outdoor table on a beautiful, crisp spring day. It felt like a small miracle that our busy schedules aligned on a Tuesday afternoon.
When our food came, we all oohed and ahhed over what each person got, as girls do. The fluffy homemade sandwich bread, the creamy cilantro lime dressing, the special-order chicken salad — everything looked so good. Especially my friend’s iced coffee. When I asked what kind it was, and she said an almond milk latte with cinnamon, my eyes lit up.
“That’s my favorite!” I exclaimed excitedly. “I actually thought about ordering one.”
“Do you want some of mine?” my friend asked.
“No, that’s okay,” I said, not wanting to impose. “Plus, I only drink decaf. But thanks.”
“Oh, it’s decaf! Here, let’s get an extra cup and I’ll pour you some.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, worried she was offering out of obligation.
“Of course,” my friend said. “Sharing is my favorite!”
I thoroughly enjoyed my iced almond milk cinnamon latte and salad that day. I loved the fresh air and sunshine. It was a true gift to have a leisurely lunch with girlfriends I treasure — friends with history and with whom both depth and laughter are easily accessed. It was a great day.
But weeks later, what really stuck with me was my friend’s genuine, joy-filled declaration: Sharing is my favorite.
Have you ever heard anything more wholesome or kind?
And here’s the best part: she meant it and she lives it!
Half a latte wasn’t a one-time act of generosity. It’s her way of showing up in the world and loving people. This friend of mine let me shop her closet before going on a trip, has fed my family too many times to count, buys thoughtful gifts, loans linens when I have people come to visit, let my very stinky teenage sons come over to shower when our power and hot water was out, and even gives me things from her home that I admire. Once, I swooned so much over a teeny tiny ceramic pitcher with the sweetest birdie on it that she immediately washed it and gave it to me — with joy!
Yes, she is a unicorn, and yes, I hope everyone is so lucky to have a friend like her.
But the greatest gift isn’t just a cute sundress to wear on vacation or benefiting from her culinary skills. The greatest gift is that I see and experience the love of Jesus.
My friend beautifully demonstrates how we were all meant to live: Christ-centered and others-focused. It’s the way of Jesus.
Paul writes, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:3-5 NLT). (Read this whole chapter in The Message version — I know you’ll be blessed!)
So, how do we have the same attitude as Christ? How do we cultivate a heart of joyful generosity like Jesus?
View everything you have as God’s. People who are radically generous (regardless of how much they have) understand that God is the owner and they are merely faithful stewards. When we shift our perspective from ownership to stewardship, our grip on resources loosens and joy increases.
Trust God with your plenty and your want. The widow in Mark 12 gave her two coins — everything she had — because she trusted God. Jesus pointed out her courageous obedience as an example of greater generosity and surrender than those who gave more.
Don’t wait to be generous. Don’t wait till your bank account is comfortable or your ducks are in a row. Don’t wait until loving feels easy. Give from what God has already entrusted to you.
Pay attention. Look up. See the people around you. Listen to the needs and desires of others. Ask God to make you a conduit of His kindness and generosity, right where you are.
Be the friend (or neighbor, spouse, coworker) you long to have. Maybe you long for a friend like mine. Maybe you’ve never been on the receiving end of joyful generosity. Be the friend you long to have. “Love your neighbor as yourself” is the second greatest command in the Bible — and for good reason! Think about how you want to be loved, then go do that for someone else.
Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35 NLT). I think this reality is why sharing is my friend’s favorite thing. She knows that giving is a soul blessing for her as much as it is for others.
Do you see that latte, those earrings, your couch, or your time as the Lord’s? Everything you have is a good and perfect gift from God. Ask Him who He wants to bless through you today. And when the opportunity comes? Respond with joyful generosity.
Imagine how the world would look different, how people would truly know Jesus, if we all made sharing our favorite.
I love this devotional and the sentiment of generosity as being our favorites.
You say, “Give from what God has already entrusted to you.” The Lord has given me dimples but I cannot see them unless I look in the mirror. So, I concluded that He gave them to me so I can share them with others through a smile. Even if you don’t have dimples, a smile is free and can show someone they are seen. Sometimes that is what they need at the moment: to be seen and not feel invisible.
And what happens when you smile at someone, they “usually” smile back.
Generosity begets generosity. Pass it on as you said!
I love that, Molinda! Yes a smile is such a simple but powerful way to share God’s love. What a gift it is to be seen.
Smiling back atcha, sister!
Beautiful encouragement!
Thank you, Gail!
What a beautiful way to start our day leading to Mother’s Day weekend. I am so blessed to have my mother still with me. I get to talk with her each day. Once she was busy working as I lived with my grandmother. I grew up being taught the love of Christ.
Sharing is the act of caring about others. We learn this by watching our parents while we are toddlers. Now we get to teach that love lesson to our children (toddlers and teens).
God’s Grace is Sufficient (Enough) to teach us about Truth and Love.
Keep Hope Alive !
Happy Mother’s Day !
Brenda
Your Sister in Christ
What a beautiful heart you have, Brenda!
Becky, this is my favorite! As Christians, this is our calling!
Thank you, Irene. Yes and amen!
Dear Becky………..What a joy to open my devotion today and find it was written by you. My smile started to beam. That has not happened lately. This season that I am in has been especially difficult in April and now in May, as well. My situation has still not been resolved after almost 5 years now, so I have my sorrow days, but April was difficult as my son’s birthday was in the last week of April. I am very much a giving person and always have been even since I was a little girl. My mother told me I always shared my toys with others even if it was one of my favorites. I am also a big ” card sender” with something written inside. I almost never just sign my name, so I did send my son a card and he just destroyed it and did not even look at it. Then the first day of May came, my ex-husband’s birthday is one week after my son’s, but I try and keep in touch so I sent him a card. That probably was destroyed too. I do not know what condition he is in, but I don’t think it is getting any better, but nobody will tell me except that his dementia has progressed a lot. Rachel, I still care about the man and I have left so many VM’s, never to hear a response. I even called him and sang Happy Birthday to him on VM. No answer. It hurts me that they still blame me for this whole mess. I pray so often every day, multiple times, but I am still waiting for maybe an answer. My Holy Spirit whispers to me all the time and helps me. Now Mother’s Day is just 2 days away and that really is difficult for me because I am not considered his Mother anymore and to top it off, my Mother died on Mother’s Day and I miss her so much. Her Birthday is at the end of May and I always write her a card and put it by her picture in my apartment. You may remember that I live in a Senior Facility with over 100 people and I just watch these other women who are older than me get flowers and relatives visit on Sunday and take them out to lunch and they ask me when my family is coming. I can’t tell them this whole story, so I just go back to my apartment and cry to Jesus, ” Why are all these things happening to me at this stage of my life? ” I am not mad and I am not jealous of these other relatives. Rachel, I am actually happy for them. My whole mess with my divorce has still not been finished, but I have gotten some of the assets due me. I have helped a few residents who couldn’t afford to live here anymore by a monetary gift ( not to be paid back ) When things are done, I will have a great deal of money and I wouldn’t spend as much as I have so why not help others. I also donated a large amount to my church which they really appreciated as we are finances are not enough to support our 300 year old church. Anyway, I do think that I am a very cheerful giver, which I know there is a scripture about how God thinks about a “cheerful giver”, but I can’t remember the rest of His sentence. I was told by my upper level managers where I worked for 35 years, that they thought I was more interested in caring for other people and forgot about taking care of myself. As time goes on, I think maybe they were right. Enough of my “Sorrow Days”, Becky. Thank you all of your wise words that always helps me. I have so many of the (in courage) books and journals that I try to look at one of them every day. I do with you a Happy Mother’s Day and your children are so lucky to have you as their mother. May you have a Blessed Weekend, Becky and I love you for all you have helped me with……..Betsy
Betsy it does sound like sharing is your favourite too. I’m praying for you and wonder if sharing your plight with your fellow residents may enable them to have the gift of sharing with you. I imagine even the thought of doing that is painful but the more I share my broken parts the more people I meet who say “me too” and the more community and fellowship I find in that. Praying for you now Betsy. “And underneath are His everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Betsy, my words fall short for your pain, but surely God’s compassion never fails. Praying Psalm 27 over you right now: “Surely we will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord.”
SO true and SO good to read this morning!!! How we all need to PRACTICE what JESUS Taught! Thank you
Linda, I love that word PRACTICE — daily putting our beliefs and values into action.
Becky,
Your friend will inspire us all to share the love of Jesus in so many ways
Sending you Mother’s Day JOY,
Lisa
Happy Mother’s Day to you too, Lisa!
Love this! This devotional makes me think of the generous and faithful supporters who give to our homeless ministry. Many of them have been donating monthly since we started almost 15 years ago. We thank God so much for their support and try to send them a thank you card about every year. The way we give to them is through prayer. Early on in our ministry God gave me wisdom that satan could attack not only us but people on our team. So I began praying Scripture based prayers over us and our team daily. And in our nightly prayers my husband and I pray prayers of protection and blessing over our team. I love even the title of this article. Praying that sharing and caring would be one of our favorite things to do.
Amber, your words and example inspire me! Blessings to you in your ministry and as you pray for your supporters.
Becky,
Loved this “Sharing is my favorite”. We need to look up & around. Take the focus off us & you will see a myriad of needs. Each Friday I share my time with Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry. We get to shine God’s light & love to all who come for a food box or meal. Enjoy giving gifts to people. A simple smile, hand shake, job well done can go a long way to make people feel good. It makes the world a much better place.
Blessings 🙂
Beautiful, Beth! We can let people know they are seen and loved in so many simple ways.
Love. Love. Love.
Aww, thank you, Sandy!