God gives a party...

The Two Virtues Who Never Met
A Marriage Made in Heaven

I recently read an old Jewish parable illustrating generosity and thankfulness.

Once upon a time, God had a party and invited all the virtues to the feast. They were enjoying each other’s company, except for two He noticed standing in the corners, aloof from one another. God asked, “Do you not know each other?” Both replied, “No, we have never met before.” Their names were Generosity and Gratitude.

How true that is. These two so often never meet. Gratitude sometimes eludes us, and generosity can be a hard-fought battle.

Generosity needs someone to receive it, while gratitude needs someone to give. They depend on one another. Yet true generosity does not depend on gratitude. It is inherently self-giving, and the giving itself is the reward.  Nevertheless, gratitude is always welcomed.

Gratitude is the ability to recognize the value of every gift and the one who gave it. Its voice is thankfulness. A thankful person always lives in abundance, and that abundance is not measured by how much he owns but by an inward contentment, knowing he has “all things.”   2 Cor. 6:10

An old and good friend once told me, “If you give something to someone and they are not thankful, you have given them too much.” That stayed with me. I realized all my giving needs to be Holy Spirit directed. He knows the needs and desires of the heart, and when and how to meet them. In turn, it made me mindful of my own thankfulness.

“Generosity” and “Gratitude” can exist without each other, even when generosity is abundant and flows freely, but they were not designed to live apart. It is a tragedy that the two so rarely meet.

“Gratitude” reminds us that we need “Generosity”—the one who gives.   A thankful person walks in humility. He acknowledges that he needs others, and that not everything is earned or even deserved.

“Gratitude” and “Generosity” inspire each other and cause the other to grow and increase.  The more thankful you become, the more content you are, and contentment opens the door to the abundant life Jesus promised John 10:10.    The more you give, the more you discover the joy that lives inside giving itself.

Gratitude inspires generosity and generosity creates more reasons for gratitude.

It’s the winning cycle.  It’s a marriage made in heaven. They should never be alone.