Written by Dynamis Ministries | February 24, 2022
You’ve probably heard of “YOLO” and may have even seen it printed on t-shirts, coffee mugs or signs. In pop culture, YOLO stands for “You Only Live Once!” It is a mantra used to inspire people to take advantage of opportunities and to live without regrets. It would be great if we could actually live without regrets, wouldn’t it? But that isn’t realistic in this broken world. All of us can look back on our personal stories and identify opportunities lost. Even in the area of generosity, we can relate to missed opportunities.
On at least once occasion, we can probably recount a time when we received a nudge to give to someone in a tangible way but ignored the prompt and went about our day instead. It could have been something as simple as ignoring a nudge to give an encouraging text message to a friend when they came to mind, later finding out they were going through a hard time. Maybe it was something bigger like declining a nudge to serve and care for a neighbor as they struggled through a season of illness. It could have been a nudge of conviction during a church service or event to give financially to a mission but failing to act. The thing about nudges, especially these kinds of generosity nudges, is that they often fade when they’re not acted upon.
The Apostle Paul must have understood the importance of acting upon nudges because in several of his letters, he urges his readers to take advantage of opportunities that come to us. Check out Galatians 6:10, Ephesians 5:15-17 and Colossians 4:5 as examples of such. When we act on nudges, we are taking advantage of opportunities, and God can bless those acts of obedience in amazing ways. Therefore, it’s important that we be alert for opportunities and put ourselves in a position to act quickly. When it comes to our generosity, there are several ways we can already have a “yes” prepared when a nudging occurs.
Consider a couple who recently went through the Dynamis Generosity Plan process where it was revealed that they have a heart for serving individuals in need throughout their community in very tangible ways. As a result of their plan, they opened an additional savings account to be used as a “personal giving fund.” They directed funds into this account to be used specifically for helping those in need who crossed their paths. From this fund, they purchased gifts cards and withdrew extra cash that they kept on hand to give away at opportune moments. This not only provided intentionality to their giving, but also it allowed them to give spontaneously when promptings arose. With this system in place, they are now able to respond quickly and positively to those nudges to give!
Like this couple, we too can put ourselves in a position to take advantage of opportunities to give, ahead of the nudges. Simply beginning each day in prayer, asking God to make us aware of the needs around us can prepare us to act on nudges. Coupling that posture of preparedness with the tools to follow through can bless others and ourselves in significant ways! So, the next time you feel that nudge to give, don’t let it fade. Make the most of the opportunity, because after all, YOLO!
Photo Credit: Johannes W
