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YYou only need to spend a few minutes watching television, sitting in a movie theatre, or surfing the internet to see that many people in our culture believe the world is all about them. It’s all about having a great house, important title, and a nice car.
But you’re not like most men. You want your life to matter, to have a purpose.
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But you’re not like most. You want your life to matter, to have a purpose. You want to make a real difference in the world. And if you ask me, the way you do that is not by living for yourself — it’s in giving to others.
There are truly an endless number of ways to change the world through giving. Perhaps the best way to get a handle on this is by looking at these three concepts: Change, World, and Giving.
What Does “Change” Mean?
Another word for “change” is “impact.” To my lively four-year-old, impact means running his toy cars into the walls, the furniture, and other people. To impact something literally means to change it. So what does that mean for you? It means that in order for you to have an impact, or to change the world in a measurable way, you don’t necessarily have to change the whole world.
You can change how you interact with the world, and that will impact the people around you. If you change it in an intentional and thoughtful way, giving more patience or understanding, you will be giving the gift of yourself.
Any time you give someone a gift, say, a something for their home, the one receiving the gift can respond in many different ways. They may find it befuddling or novel, or it may completely change their life. They can view it as a thoughtful addition to their lives, or they can completely dismiss it. But the recipient has sole power over how they perceive the gift. The one giving the gift doesn’t get to decide. It’s important to realize that this still applies when we give of ourselves, as well: we don’t get to determine the outcome. When we give out of a sense of community, we don’t have to expect anything in return. The reward is the impact it makes on the lives of others.
Who Is the “World?”
Sometimes we hear people make comments like, “My husband is my world.” Or, “My kids are my world.” That’s very sentimental, but is pretty small in scope. The definition of the world can expand to include literally everyone, and every kind of life, on this planet.
But the beauty of the word is that it can refer to a focused area, like the world of business, as well as the reach of your influence, and be comprised of all the people you know. Especially when pairing the world with change. It’s rare for someone to make a mark on large portions of the planet’s populations. But lots of us can make meaningful ripples in smaller circles. I’ve frequently had the fortune of doing this, which I’ll explain shortly.
What Exactly is “Giving?”
Here are two examples:
- A preschooler sharing his snack with a friend is giving.
- A doctor providing a necessary procedure pro bono is giving.
The idea of giving is rather abstract, which is part of the beauty of it. Giving, in and of itself, is a very beautiful thing.
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On the surface, the first offering looks smaller than the second one, but they’re both acts of kindness. Also, we’ll not judge the giver’s heart for genuineness; we’ll merely call it giving. And the gift itself can be anything: material goods, monetary items, time, effort, talent or ability, and anything else you could think of to add to this list.
As you see, the idea of giving is rather abstract, which is part of the beauty of it. Giving, in and of itself, is a very beautiful thing. For many people, it’s not just a beautiful act of selflessness, but it is part of who they are. In a way it defines them.
How Giving Impacted Me
I can only hope that, one day, giving defines me. So far, I think I’ve only seen glimpses of it. Here are a few ways that I have sought to change a few corners of the world, and how I’ve been changed as a result:
• In the early 1990s I got to travel to Monterrey, Mexico, and work at a new church being built.
• Two weeks after the 2004 tsunami that hit (among other places) southern India, I had the opportunity to do some relief work in the state of Tamil Nadu.
• More recently, I’ve ventured to Guatemala four times in as many years to help in the building of new homes for locals who didn’t have adequate housing.
There have also been plenty of state-side missions and organizations I’ve worked with or donated toward. I don’t mention these to toot my own horn. They’re merely examples of how my giving has impacted the world.
The relief work in India and the building in Guatemala left lasting material goods that were blessings for the residents, that hopefully benefitted them long after I had returned to my own home. Those were tangible items that impacted a small part of the world. They no doubt were appreciated by the recipients; I got to witness the gratitude firsthand.
What I hadn’t planned on was how this work, and all my work in various communities, has impacted me.
How could I see such devastation created by catastrophic ocean waves and not be touched? How could I look upon the countless makeshift graves on the beach in Tamil Nadu and not mourn along with the survivors? How could I hand over new clothing to those in need, receive a “thank you” hug, and not be so grateful for all I have? How could I hand over the keys to a new home (that I helped to build) in the mountains of Guatemala, and not feel some satisfaction? How could I help to provide a bed to a family who’s never had one to sleep on, and not have to catch my breath? How could I share a long hug with the mom of the family receiving a new home in Guatemala and not cry?
That’s the paradox of giving. When you do it for the right reasons, you actually end up receiving.
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In all of those real life experiences, I was forever changed. I set out to bring change to others, and ended up changing myself as well. It may have seemed I was the one giving something away, but I walked away feeling full, not empty. That’s the paradox of giving. When you do it for the right reasons, you actually end up receiving.
This has been my path, and I was tremendously lucky to be able to afford to travel on these humanitarian missions. But the reality is, there are many communities throughout the United States that need our collective help. No matter where you are, there are plenty of ways to impact your world through giving. I’ve only mentioned a few. Look for local organizations to share your resources with, or even state or national organizations you know you can trust.
What are you passionate about? What organizations are in your area? What specific needs do you know about? There are countless ways to give. Decide what lights your fire, look for a way to give to that end, and just see if you don’t receive more than you’ve given.
This story has been republished to Medium.
Photo credit: iStock
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