What if the biggest barrier to solving poverty isn’t a lack of generosity—but a lack of imagination? My daughter just graduated from high school. She’s not a high-schooler anymore, but she hasn’t started college yet either.

When divers discovered a 19th-century shipwreck off the coast of Sweden, they didn’t find gold or treasure—they found joy bottled up. Dozens of unopened cases of vintage sparkling wine lay hidden beneath 150 years of darkness, sealed tight and perfectly preserved in the cold Baltic Sea.

Winston Churchill is often credited with saying, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” While there’s no official record of him saying these exact words, the message aligns deeply with his values of service, sacrifice, and contribution.

What if some of the most meaningful lessons about generosity at Christmas don’t come from the North Pole… but from a real follower of Jesus who lived more than 1,700 years ago?

What if your bank account said “empty,” but heaven's ledger said “overflowing”? That’s the paradox Jesus proclaimed to the persecuted Christians in the ancient city of Smyrna. In Revelation 2:9, He says, “I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich.” At first glance, this seems contradictory.

Generosity isn’t just about giving—it’s about having a heart like God’s. I had boxed generosity into neat categories—donating, tithing, and occasional good deeds. But God’s generosity isn’t structured—it’s extravagant, spontaneous, and unlimited.