59: Generosity to Our Opponents

"...You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you..."

This week, I am reading the words of Jesus and His approach to opponents from Matthew 5 and 6.

Reflection questions:

• If you were to give your fundraising appeal to an opponent to read, how would they respond?  Would the letter be consider fair?  Considerate?  Even loving?

• When you are speaking with a donor about an opponent of your mission, are you portraying the opponent in the best possible light even if you are outlining policy or tactical disagreements?  

View the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon about Enmity and Fundraising Letters from July 7, 1995.

The text of Matthew 5 and 6 have entered the public domain.

To explore fundraising coaching deeper and to schedule an exploratory session, visit ServingNonprofits.com.

Music credit: Woeisuhmebop

Transcript

Welcome back. This podcast explores the wisdom of generosity, from ancient to modern, and the beautiful space where generosity occurs.

My favorite cartoon is Calvin and Hobbes.  On July 7, 1995, the cartoonist Bill Watterson published a particularly apt description of a trend in fundraising.  While I encourage you to view the cartoon and I have placed the link in the show notes, let me read the captions. Calvin states, “I’m writing a fund-raising letter.  The secret to getting donations is to depict everyone who disagrees with you as the enemy.  Then you explain how they’re systemically working to destroy everything you hold dear.  It’s a war of values! Rational discussion is hopeless!  Compromise is unthinkable! Our only help is well-funded antagonism to keep up the fight.  Hobbes replies. How cynically unconstructive.  Calvin responds, Enmity sells.”  Enmity in fundraising does sell.  The short-term gains by creating enemies and fear are measurable.  Yet, in the long-term, true generosity suffers.  This week, I am reading the words of Jesus and His approach to opponents from Matthew 5 and 6.

Quote

God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children!

You know you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up your coat as well. If a soldier forces you to carry his pack one kilometer, carry it two kilometers.  When people ask you for something, give it to them. When they want to borrow money, lend it to them.

You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you.   Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for this? Even tax collectors love their friends. If you greet only your friends, what's so great about this? Don't even unbelievers do that?  But you must always act like your Father in heaven.

Unquote

As I record this week’s podcast, the United States is in political turmoil.  And, unfortunately, there are those in fundraising who will take the opportunity to double-down on enmity in their fundraising copy.  And, I’m genuinely grieved when I read these fundraising appeals where people are made to be the enemy.  People are never the enemy.  We can disagree about policies and tactics.  But, when we make people the enemy instead, we are creating fear among our donors with their own neighbors and in doing so we break down societal and community bonds.  This not only hurts our opponents, but it will do long term damage to generosity and our own organizations.

Let’s reflect on these questions:

If you were to give your fundraising appeal to an opponent to read, how would they respond?  Would the letter be consider fair?  Considerate?  Even loving?

When you are speaking with a donor about an opponent of your mission, are you portraying the opponent in the best possible light even if you are outlining policy or tactical disagreements?  

Share this podcast if you enjoy these five-minute reflections and subscribe to receive these reflections released every Monday. To explore fundraising coaching deeper, visit Serving Nonprofits dot com. See you next week.