The Joy of Generosity

By Tanner Doudna

As the end of the year draws closer, holiday celebrations with friends and family begin. During this time many of us experience some of our greatest joys from the act of giving.

I remember the excitement I had as a kid running down the stairs to go see what was under the tree on Christmas morning. I know the rush of emotion I felt when I saw that big, red bow on my new bike. Now that I am a father, the joy I once experienced when receiving my gifts isn’t close to the exuberant feeling I get when I see my children open their gifts on Christmas. As we all age, I believe we understand more and more that it is greater to give than receive.

Randy Alcorn tells the story of Alfred Nobel in his book The Treasure Principle. Nobel had become wealthy inventing and producing dynamite. While he was still living, his brother passed away. In the days following his brother’s death, an editor for a French newspaper mistakenly wrote an obituary for Alfred with the headline of “The Merchant of Death is Dead” describing a man who had gotten rich by helping people kill one another. Nobel had the rare opportunity to see an appraisal of his life and decided to change the narrative. By the time he died he had given over nine million dollars to fund awards for people whose work benefited humanity. These awards became known as the Nobel Prizes.

At TrustWell, one of our core principles is to be a good steward. We have been called to be managers of everything that has been entrusted to us. It is our responsibility to take good care of and be generous with what we have been given. We want to help you be confident in how much you need for each life stage to then encourage you to experience the joy of living a generous life with the rest.