I love giving. I love sharing what I have with others, so my enjoyment in the material wealth I possess is not mine alone.
For me, giving is a generational thing. I was born into a family of `givers’, which is probably why I have such deep appreciation of a charitable lifestyle.
My grandma and grandpa were givers. My grandma has just passed and at her memorial, a lady stood up to speak of a time when my grandma, as a young teenage woman, gave 5 dollars and a hug to a girl, Louis, so she was able to buy school clothes. This was in the 1940s, when 5 dollars counted for a lot. Thanks to my grandma’s spontaneous help, Louis, who was 8 years younger than her, was able to get shoes and clothes without which she could not have attended school.
My grandpa had a pilot’s license. He and his friend Paul donated an airplane to missionaries in Africa and went on many mission trips to make the world a better place. My dad helped grandpa build churches and helped rebuild one that had burned down. He freely donated his time to whatever cause his community needed assistance with. My mom volunteered at a private school without pay because her work there made a huge difference. For many years, my parents have supported a pastor in India, where I have spent many months on a mission trip myself, to finance his ministries for orphans, widows and lepers.
“To whom much is given, much is required.” My family has certainly lived by that principle, and I have followed in their footsteps from a very young age. When I was in college, I would do small things, like paying a friend’s insurance, so he could run a car and be able to go to work. As I grew older and started earning and saving, my giving increased proportionately.
I have never restricted my charitable spend to the 10% of my earnings or tithe, as mandated by the church. My giving is need-based, and to make sure I always have funds put aside for charity, I have a separate bank account for it, called the `Rody Giving Account’. Typically, I save 30 per cent of my income, put 20 per cent in the `Rody Giving Account’ and use the leftover to pay bills, buy stuff for my kids etc. This way, even when money is not plentiful (like in this past year when I was building a new company), my charitable donations are not affected in any way. Another reason why I have this account is if I happened to die unexpectedly, my wife would know that the money being held in the Rody Giving Account is allocated only for charity.
It isn’t just me. I have seen God use the `Rody Giving Account’ time and time again, showing me places where money from that account will be well spent. And He has made sure the account is always replenished because he has blessed me with the gift of saving.
To be able to give is a blessing, and you never know how it will blossom in life. A lot of good comes out of giving and I have seen so many lives and relationships thrive and grow because there was help available when someone sorely needed it.
Often times, people hold back on giving because of fear. Fear of running out and not having enough for themselves. It is human to be afraid, especially if you’re supporting a family, which is why the bank account keeps me completely fearless. That, and the knowledge that God will always make sure I have enough, so he can do His work through me.
It is one of life’s principles I have adopted that gives me great peace. Abundance, like love, only grows as you share its bounty without selfishness or reservation. (Though `giving in order to get’ is not the self-serving intention here. I see `abundance’ as a `community resource’ that enables me to be of help and support others. ) By putting myself in God’s hands and maintaining a separate bank account for giving, I know I will never fall short in my duties to my community.
God simply won’t allow it.
(In no way is this financial advice. These are only my opinions :))
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