Generosity Myth

We have lived with myths about generosity for so long that we see them as truth.

I’ve often heard: “Oh that’s not generous, that’s just the way I am.” It is as if the only way that we see that making a contribution as “generous” is if we don’t want to give… but we give anyway. I wonder if we think that an act isn’t generous if it’s easy. “I’m not being generous if I would do this anyway.” Nonsense! As the alphabet is the lowest abstraction for the written word, so is the innate drive for people to contribute to someone else’s well-being the lowest abstraction for generosity. People derive meaning from contributing. We are wired for contribution not consumption. If you are contributing in small simple ways, great. …

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Hypnotized by Complexity

Last week in Colorado at a private ranch owned by friends a small group of people surrounded Bill to help him discern how, through his private foundation, he can help pastors with leadership development.

After about two hours of conversation during which this well informed group mapped who is doing what in this space, one of the people asked Bill, “Why do you care about pastors? Why is this so important to you?” …hoping to get a meaningful treatise on the role of pastors and the importance of leadership development. Bill’s answer, “You know, I don’t really know.”

I was fortunate to be in the room for this short conversation, and here’s the way I saw it:

– Bill and I have been close friends for 27 years and I have managed his foundation for …

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