Author Allison Fallon tells a story about her brother, who was riding his bike to church one Sunday morning.
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. Allison’s 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. Some of the people asked “Are you okay?” or “Does anything hurt?” Others, though, were angry and started yelling at the driver for making such a stupid and dangerous mistake.
Allison’s brother looked up and asked, “What is the driver’s name?” The driving instructor told him that her name was Candace. Bloodied and scraped up, he made his way toward the car. He found the driver sitting in her seat sobbing uncontrollably. He leaned in the window and said, “Candace, it is okay. Accidents happen. Mistakes are how we learn”.
When most people think about the word “generous,” they think about giving money to someone. However, Biblical generosity is a much bigger topic. In fact, it is the ability to give people what they need whether they deserve it or not.
Jesus outlines this sort of generosity in Luke 6 when he says, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? … And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? … [I say] Love your enemies, do good to them… Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High… Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (selected verses from 27 to 36).
By choosing to react generously, Allison’s brother changed the ending of his bike accident story. What could have been terrible became beautiful. A bad experience turned into a graceful one and that made all the difference to everyone involved.
Now you may be thinking, “If I treat people better than they deserve to be treated, they will take advantage of me.” That may be true. However, you may also make things better for everyone involved, including yourself.
Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
A generous spirit can change the story.
