It's Only a Dollar

I was checking out groceries this past week. When it was time to pay, I was asked if I would like to contribute to a charity. The clerk added, “It’s only a dollar.”

Of course, this was just a little extra nudge from a sales position. It was also a statement that the amount is not significant to me especially considering a fifty-dollar grocery bill. Well, I agreed and one more dollar was added to my total.

The interaction cranked up the wheels of brain activity and silent questions began pinging around inside grey matter.

• Was the sales pitch correct or is that dollar important to me?
• Was I (just a little bit) conned?
• Whether the dollar was or was not significant to me, was it significant to the cause?
• Would the clerk be impressed if I said, “Yes?”
• Would I be impressed if I said, “Yes?”

One Dollar. I decided that it was all about the mindset in which we find ourselves at that point in time. A particularly interesting discovery reveals that the decision is made in a split second.  Not much pondering. No little voice saying, “Let me think about it and I’ll get back to you.” Just a heartbeat followed by the affirmative - or not. And at that moment, we have reacted based on, 

• Value comparisons and trade-offs,
• Worldview stories of self-image, generosity, and compassion,
• The tribes (relationships, friends, families) we belong to,
• Fear, scarcity, and security.

In other words, this simple decision (to give a dollar or not) is based on our entire history. What matters at this very moment is based on what has happened to us in the past and what we think will happen to us in the future. 

If we love clipping coupons, this dollar might be quite a score. If we have been donation-burned in the past, we will hesitate. In either case, we are probably more likely to refuse this contribution.

However, if we are just leaving a church after hearing a sermon on generosity, the decision to say no might be overruled in a blink.

In this example, we are completely subject to impulse giving.

If we've said yes to this impulse, we might be patting ourselves on the back as we revel in thoughts of our generous nature as it lifts our spirits and puts a bounce in our step. Our good deed for the day has been realized!

This is truly a good thing we've done!

But let's just reflect on the statement written earlier: 

"In other words, this simple decision (to give a dollar or not) is based on our entire history. What has happened to us in the past and what we think will happen to us in the future matters."

Given the concept that impulse decisions are based on our entire history (worldview, fear, etc.) we will be more likely to accept the challenge of impulse giving if we are already cultivating a spirit of generosity in our daily lives. This is done through deliberate action and prayer. 

Our focus on intentional generosity will effectively create a generous worldview within us.

• We will be more likely to respond positively to impulse giving.
• We will more often feel the satisfaction of a generous nature.
• We will find ourselves becoming more loving as we understand the needs of others.
• We will find that money isn't the only form of generosity as we notice ways to be actively involved with our communities and the entire world.

"Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!" Psalm 119:36

Speaking of generosity, is there anything at all more generous than a good mother?

From Hannah Kardon, Pastor at Elston Avenue United Methodist Church

"To the Moms Who Are

• To the Moms who are struggling, to those filled with incandescent joy.
• To the Moms who are remembering children who have died, and pregnancies that miscarried.
• To the Moms who decided other parents were the best choice for their babies, to the Moms who adopted those kids and loved them fiercely.
• To those experiencing frustration or desperation in infertility.
• To those who knew they never wanted kids and the ways they have contributed to our shared world.
• To those who mothered colleagues, mentees, neighborhood kids, and anyone who needed it.
• To those remembering Moms no longer with us.
• To those moving forward from Moms who did not show love, or hurt those they should have cared for.
• Today is a day to honor the unyielding love and care for others we call 'Motherhood,' wherever we have found it and in whatever ways we have found to cultivate it within ourselves."