Author Allison Fallon tells a story about her brother, who was riding his bike to church one Sunday morning.聽
As he approached an intersection, a student driver in the car ahead of him turned on her left turn signal light and then made a right turn right in front of him.聽Allison鈥檚 brother crashed into the side of the car and was sent flying across the hood and onto the ground on the other side.
A crowd quickly gathered.聽Some of the people asked 鈥淎re you okay?鈥� or 鈥淒oes anything hurt?鈥澛燨thers, though, were angry and started yelling at the driver for making such a stupid and dangerous mistake.聽
Allison鈥檚 brother looked up and asked, 鈥淲hat is the driver鈥檚 name?鈥� The driving instructor told him that her name was Candace. Bloodied and scraped up, he made his way toward the car.聽He found the driver sitting in her seat sobbing uncontrollably. He leaned in the window and said, 鈥淐andace, it is okay. Accidents happen. Mistakes are how we learn鈥�.
When most people think about the word 鈥済enerous,鈥� they think about giving money to someone. However, Biblical generosity is a much bigger topic.聽In fact, it is the ability to give people what they need whether they deserve it or not.聽
Jesus outlines this sort of generosity in Luke 6 when he says, 鈥淚f you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? 鈥� And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? 鈥� [I say] Love your enemies, do good to them鈥� Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High鈥� Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful鈥� (selected verses from 27 to 36).
By choosing to react generously, Allison鈥檚 brother changed the ending of his bike accident story.聽What could have been terrible became beautiful.聽A bad experience turned into a graceful one and that made all the difference to everyone involved.聽
Now you may be thinking, 鈥淚f I treat people better than they deserve to be treated, they will take advantage of me.鈥� That may be true.聽However, you may also make things better for everyone involved, including yourself.
Proverbs 11:25 says, 鈥淎 generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.鈥�
A generous spirit can change the story.
