Generosity and Hope
Danielle King / Web and Database Administrator
I’ve recently joined a unique Facebook group started by an old high school classmate. The group is simply called “Gift Giving” (plus a small gift box emoji in the title). Everyone in the group is invited to create an Amazon wish list and share it on the page, and then go and buy something off someone else’s. At first, it sounded really odd to me, like those “share this to win a $500 gift card!” posts we all see from time to time. Those ‘too good to be true’ things always raise a flag in my head as untrustworthy. In this case, however, I decided to try the group out because I personally know the person who created it, as well as several people in the group.
After I officially joined, my first job was to make myself a wish list. Now, maybe you and I are different enneagram numbers, or personality animal types, or you didn’t grow up believing the number of dollars you had in your hand was directly connected to your security and happiness. That being said, filling a list of things I want for myself was HARD! I spent quite a bit of time hunting and scrolling and clicking … all while feeling a little foolish, thinking to myself, “Why am I picking out gifts I want a stranger to buy me? I don’t need any of this. Who is even going to buy this? Why would they?”
Nevertheless, my wish list was filled with a handful of $5-$15 items and posted. Next, I started to look at the other lists that were shared to see if I was really going to play along and buy a random thing for a random person. Well, I did. And someone bought me something. And many others bought many other things. And it’s been over a week and there are photos every day of ripped Amazon boxes and gift notes and so many heart emojis.
Could this all be a self-serving experiment of greed? When you pull 100 people into a group, I’m sure there could be a few who are just hungry for free stuff and attention. However, I know many of these people and I’ve felt and seen the JOY and GRATITUDE and HOPE that these small gifts have brought day after day. Although we’ve joined this group with the expectation of receiving something, something we’ve picked for ourselves no less, the amount of surprise and love we’ve shared over every small cardboard box has been overwhelming.
Now, despite the authentic joy and generosity, there is still some aspect of the group that feels a little like a game or exclusive club. But even outside of the group, I have been a repeat recipient of generosity, and especially, it seems, over the last several months. Each time I have felt surprised and loved because someone saw me, thought of me, and selflessly gave to me. It’s better than winning that fake $500 gift card or new car, because rather than random luck or chance, I know I was specifically chosen. But even if the giver did pick me randomly, I have felt seen, loved and chosen time and time again by God. Yes, I have received stuff and things, but I have also received hope. Over recent weeks and months, hope hasn’t always felt abundant to me. But generosity has shown me a hope that tells me I belong, that I matter, that God sees me and hears me and still has a plan for me, and that I can bring that same hope to someone else.
It’s worthwhile to note that, so far, the ‘Gift Giving’ group has stayed true to its name and focused just as much or more on giving than receiving: while many post about what they have received in the mail, there have been more posts about how fun and addicting it is to keep giving to others. I can’t afford to become addicted to a ‘Gift Giving’ group, but I’ll happily pay an occasional $5 for things like cactus potting soil or a penguin-shaped kitchen timer (umm, both gifts that I have actually received from the group) so I can continue witnessing people’s joyful experience of generosity on both ends. With each gift, not only am I thankful for the giver but I’m also reminded of my other giver of ‘every good and perfect gift’, who ‘graciously gives all things’, who ‘gives good things’, who remembers me and loves me. He is trustworthy, He doesn’t need a wish list, and He gives and gives and gives so much that I have plenty to give to others. May God allow you to sow and reap immeasurable generosity and hope this week!
I’ve recently joined a unique Facebook group started by an old high school classmate. The group is simply called “Gift Giving” (plus a small gift box emoji in the title). Everyone in the group is invited to create an Amazon wish list and share it on the page, and then go and buy something off someone else’s. At first, it sounded really odd to me, like those “share this to win a $500 gift card!” posts we all see from time to time. Those ‘too good to be true’ things always raise a flag in my head as untrustworthy. In this case, however, I decided to try the group out because I personally know the person who created it, as well as several people in the group.
After I officially joined, my first job was to make myself a wish list. Now, maybe you and I are different enneagram numbers, or personality animal types, or you didn’t grow up believing the number of dollars you had in your hand was directly connected to your security and happiness. That being said, filling a list of things I want for myself was HARD! I spent quite a bit of time hunting and scrolling and clicking … all while feeling a little foolish, thinking to myself, “Why am I picking out gifts I want a stranger to buy me? I don’t need any of this. Who is even going to buy this? Why would they?”
Nevertheless, my wish list was filled with a handful of $5-$15 items and posted. Next, I started to look at the other lists that were shared to see if I was really going to play along and buy a random thing for a random person. Well, I did. And someone bought me something. And many others bought many other things. And it’s been over a week and there are photos every day of ripped Amazon boxes and gift notes and so many heart emojis.
Could this all be a self-serving experiment of greed? When you pull 100 people into a group, I’m sure there could be a few who are just hungry for free stuff and attention. However, I know many of these people and I’ve felt and seen the JOY and GRATITUDE and HOPE that these small gifts have brought day after day. Although we’ve joined this group with the expectation of receiving something, something we’ve picked for ourselves no less, the amount of surprise and love we’ve shared over every small cardboard box has been overwhelming.
Now, despite the authentic joy and generosity, there is still some aspect of the group that feels a little like a game or exclusive club. But even outside of the group, I have been a repeat recipient of generosity, and especially, it seems, over the last several months. Each time I have felt surprised and loved because someone saw me, thought of me, and selflessly gave to me. It’s better than winning that fake $500 gift card or new car, because rather than random luck or chance, I know I was specifically chosen. But even if the giver did pick me randomly, I have felt seen, loved and chosen time and time again by God. Yes, I have received stuff and things, but I have also received hope. Over recent weeks and months, hope hasn’t always felt abundant to me. But generosity has shown me a hope that tells me I belong, that I matter, that God sees me and hears me and still has a plan for me, and that I can bring that same hope to someone else.
It’s worthwhile to note that, so far, the ‘Gift Giving’ group has stayed true to its name and focused just as much or more on giving than receiving: while many post about what they have received in the mail, there have been more posts about how fun and addicting it is to keep giving to others. I can’t afford to become addicted to a ‘Gift Giving’ group, but I’ll happily pay an occasional $5 for things like cactus potting soil or a penguin-shaped kitchen timer (umm, both gifts that I have actually received from the group) so I can continue witnessing people’s joyful experience of generosity on both ends. With each gift, not only am I thankful for the giver but I’m also reminded of my other giver of ‘every good and perfect gift’, who ‘graciously gives all things’, who ‘gives good things’, who remembers me and loves me. He is trustworthy, He doesn’t need a wish list, and He gives and gives and gives so much that I have plenty to give to others. May God allow you to sow and reap immeasurable generosity and hope this week!