The Quality of Generosity

On the face of it, generosity would seem to be easy to define. In the abstract, perhaps it is. But to say in specific cases whether or not one is generous may not be as easy as might be supposed. Indeed, it is possible to give much and yet have little of the spirit of generosity. The giving may be prompted by motives other than generosity. Also, perhaps we are all inclined to judge generosity in others by our circumstances rather than by theirs. What we ourselves don’t have, we may think our neighbors should be readily willing to part with. Perhaps most of us who never had a million dollars are sometimes inclined to feel that he who has a million dollars should be more generous with his means. But suppose we convince him that he should be, and, being thus convinced, suppose he finds a million people in need and gives them each a dollar. He is then a pauper, and perhaps no one is very grateful to him; perhaps no one thinks he was particularly generous; certainly there is no one who thinks he was very wise. He has dissipated his substance and has furthered no permanent purpose. Surely there must be more to generosity than indiscriminate giving. And lest temporary relief become a permanent obligation, perhaps a wiser generosity would use means as fully and quickly as possible for creating more work and more opportunities, to help other men help themselves to self-sustaining independence and self-respect. There is yet another and important phase of this question. Often men acquire a reputation for being exceedingly generous at other people’s expense: for example, those who dispense money or favors from public or private sources at no personal cost to themselves. Being free with other people’s money could scarcely come within the definition of genuine generosity. It is often much too easy to be liberal with what isn’t ours. Another thing that determines generosity is what we expect in return. To give expecting nothing is by nature quite different from giving with the expectancy of reciprocal favors. Finally, if we give only because it is a custom from which we dare not depart, or because of the vanity of giving, the meaning of generosity has passed us by. But if we give with the warmth of our hearts, and in such manner the those who receive love us for it, and are blessed and helped and uplifted by it, then ours is the quality of generosity, whether we have much or little. Blessed are they who give or receive with a generous heart.