Written by Dynamis Ministries | March 21, 2024
Fast-paced. Self-starter. Results-oriented. Multi-tasker. These are common descriptions on a job posting these days. The reality, however, is that these words are not limited to the vocational space, they are descriptive of our cultural norm. Whether we’re filling our schedules with business meetings, juggling side hustles to make ends meet, transporting our kids to activities or just managing our hobbies and interests, most of us experience the reality of our “hustle” culture every single day. While none of this is inherently wrong, a lot of good has come as a result of hard-working and high-achieving habits, yet we should be reminded that it comes at a cost, whether it be our physical well-being, emotional health, relationships, and yes, even our generosity.
Think about it. Oftentimes when we think about generosity, we think about “doing” — raising money for a cause, volunteering at a homeless shelter, helping a neighbor with yard work, cooking a meal for a friend, advocating for a cause, signing up for a service event and serving a stranger in need. These are all significant ways we can be generous, but one of the most impactful ways we can be generous to others is not by doing, but by “being.” Check out what theologian and priest, Henri Nouwen, had to say about this struggle between doing and being:
“My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conference, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.”
Nouwen knew what it was like to live in a driven culture. He was a renowned professor and writer and traveled across the world to teach and preach. However, he eventually walked away from the accolades and status of academia to live in a community with people with disabilities where he helped others with the most basic skills of daily living. Henri Nouwen modeled generosity not by what he accomplished through his good works and acts of service, but through the way he loved others by simply just being by their side and caring for their needs, at times even without saying a single word.
As we live out our generosity, let’s not get so caught up in doing that we fail to miss out on truly loving others by being at their side and entering into their stories. Like Nouwen, let’s take the time to learn a name, share a meal or offer a hug. In doing so we may be giving more to another than we may ever realize. Some might call this a “ministry of presence” as we are simply physically present to someone, giving them our full attention and sharing in their story. We could just as well call it a “generosity of presence” as we are giving to someone in the most fundamental ways. Where can you intentionally offer a generosity of presence this week?
