Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. – Luke 6:38
In this season of giving and sharing, people are often conflicted with how much they must give, who they should give, and from what they should give. As a people, we tend to repeat those activities that we feel good about. Our brains provide a positive hit when we do things good for the health of our fellow brothers and wider communities. In fact, a study from the University of Zurich found when people gave generously, they had positive effects in their ventral striatum (a part of the brain associated with feeling happy) and reported greater levels of happiness.
Giving also has significant benefits for givers. Consistent with a study from the Ascent Group, people who gave more generously reported they had greater numbers of close friends (3.2 friends compared with 2.6 friends for those less generous) and felt closer to their work colleagues (78% compared with 62%).
Additionally, being generous can also help you feel greater. According to the same Ascent study, acting more generously is also correlated with feeling more satisfied with life and career. Having a sense of meaning and satisfaction has to do with making a difference in something bigger than ourselves. There is the feeling that we’re making a positive contribution to those around us. Generosity pays off for these reasons.
In this season, let us all be reflective on how we can be more generous and make an impact among the less fortunate. In addition to money, we can give our time, skills, and energy. Delivering care packages from your own store basket to the less fortunate or cutting the lawn for an elderly neighbour is perhaps more rewarding than just writing a cheque to your favourite charity. Volunteering is correlated with greater earnings and career advancement. Giving also has a positive ripple effect—when you give, you gain greater awareness of your community, stay connected with friends and neighbors, and even encourage others to give because they experience your actions.
Tracy Brower, PhD sociologist and author, contributed to this article.
