Driven by Generosity

People who know me know I love to drive. A few years back, a friend of mine invited a few of us to join him at a sports car dealership outside of business hours for a tour of some of the fastest production cars in the world. We sat in a Ferrari, marveled at the enormous engine of the Lamborghini and smelled the new Italian leather of a pristine Maserati. 0 to 100 mph in three seconds, these cars were built to be driven.

In a similar way, our lives were designed for high-performance generosity. We have far more horsepower for generosity than most of us tap.

Three principles to put your generosity into high gear:

1. The gears of faith and fear move us

Much like a car, our lives have gears which drive us forward or pull us backward. When we give our fears undue voice, its like putting our lives in reverse. When we give faith and trust their proper place, its like putting our lives in drive. Much like a car, we were meant to spend most of our time going forward. These basic motivations move us to all sorts of behavior.  Do you know the fears that drive you? Is there a way to exchange those fears for faith? Who might be able to help you with that?

2. Challenges convert into fuel for optimism

I have a confession: I didn’t use to be an optimistic person. The pain and struggles of life kept me guessing about when the next bad thing would happen. Some days worry kept me focused on the “what if’s” and it was at times debilitating. What if I fail? What if I let people down? What if I never get a fair break?

Then something happened. I started to take a real look at the major influences on my life. I began asking questions like “Why am I a driven person, and what can I do to live a more sustainable life?” and “What can I do to understand and address my basic fears?” In seeking answers to these questions over the last few years, I’ve come to notice how much possibility lies dormant in each day, how much potential rests in each person, and how much my perspective influences my present. By God’s grace, facing my challenges squarely has resulted in a more optimistic outlook on life. What challenges from your past are defining you today? How might you face those directly?

3. Generosity is where the rubber meets the road

I’ve met hundreds of truly generous people in my life, but I’ve never met one generous pessimist. It’s when we can’t see past our own needs that generosity becomes onerous. Ah, but when we notice the possibility inherent in each day and recognize that every person we meet matters, life is simply more full. You can’t contain it. It’s easy to give out from a life that’s overflowing. Like the right tires for a high performance car, is your generosity right-sized to match the powerful blessings of your life?  If you feel like you're spinning your wheels, maybe its time for a few modifications.


Life is at least as much about the trip as it is the destination.  I wonder what we'll discover along the way?

See you out on the road!

Hero Sum Game

Mel and Ray on a Sea Safari in the Howe Sound

Life is not a zero sum game. This assumes that if I am to gain, then someone else must lose and it persistently asks "What’s in it for me"? For many people, this is their view of the world.

A few people view the world differently. They look for opportunities to invest in the lives of other people. They give away wisdom, time, and money.

This morning I just boarded a flight to Vancouver B.C. and will soon take a ferry to Keats Island for my final week of the Executive Stream of the Arrow Leadership program. When I began my Arrow journey over a year ago, Mel Finlay, my leadership partner took the time to listen to my story. Over the last year, Mel has invested many more hours of listening, wise counsel, and prayer on my behalf. Mel met with me  monthly via Skype, flew thousands of miles to be with me and others at three residential seminars each six days in length, and Mel and his wife Susan have prayed for my family each week over the last year. As volunteer Leadership Partners, they each do this for three Arrow Leaders in my class.

In case you’re wondering, Mel does have a day job. He and Susan lead a ministry in Canada called Nation at Prayer. They spend time with Canada’s top politicians for the purpose of supporting the nation’s leadership in prayer without regard for political party.

Mel has served as a pastor, an Executive coach, and a CEO of a large non-profit. He has experienced his share of bumps and bruises in life but has come out the other side with a generous heart. In a season of challenge and change for me, Mel's wise counsel has been a gift. He pushed me when I needed it, poked at areas of my life that needed to change, and invited me to greater trust in God.  My journey has been transformational.

I’m different than I was a year ago. I’m stretching for higher goals, reaching deeper into my family, and engaging more opportunities to speak into the lives of those around me.  Mel has been a key part of that process.  I've received something of great value and I intend to share it with others.

Thanks Mel

P.S. While I was checking in today, the airline agent noticed that I had three "bags" my laptop, a small suitcase and a coat bag. She politely asked me to step out of line and consolidate my bags or I would need to pay a $25 fee. As I moved toward the back of the line to try and consolidate, a woman in line said “I only have one bag, I’ll take one of your bags.” When we see life as an opportunity to give rather than get, we live healthier, happier lives.