Because human nature is selfish and self-centered, generous giving does not come naturally to us. We have to build into our thinking the mind-set that we are generous. Begin to think and say, “I am a very generous person. I look for opportunities to give.”
I have found that opportunities to give are all around me-and they are all around you too. Finding out how you can bless another person is as easy as using your ears. If you simply listen to people, you’ll soon know what they need or would like.
In casual conversation, a person who works for me once mentioned she liked things produced by a certain company. I asked someone to go get her a gift certificate and gave it to her with a note telling her how much I appreciate all her hard work. She began to cry and said, “It’s not the gift certificate that means so much to me. It’s the fact that you actually heard me and remembered what I said.”
I encourage you to begin listening to others and paying attention to what they say more than ever before. People want to know you’re listening to them; they feel loved and valued when you listen to them.
If you don’t know what to do for someone, you’re not listening to them because people tell you what they want, need, and like-and you’ll know if you listen. You could start a list of things that you hear people say they want or need, and if you cannot provide it for them now, you can pray that God will give you the ability to do so. If you act on what you hear and bless people accordingly, you’ll see that blessing others really is better than receiving anything for yourself. I assure you, the more you give, the happier you will be.
Think about It
What have you heard recently that let you know what someone needs or wants? What will you do about it?
