Reflections on Generosity
Kick off your week with a 5-minute reflection on generosity to ground yourself as you go about your fund development tasks. Each reflection includes a question to ponder throughout the week to aid your work.
Reflections on Generosity
79: Generosity Repairs the World
“Whoever practices charity and justice fills the world with loving kindness.”
This week, I’m reading quotes from Sukkah 49b about tzedakah.
Reflection questions:
- How are we giving donors that vision of repairing the world through their gifts?
- What are ways that we can practice tzedakah with donors? That is, practicing justice, peace, and loving kindness with donors instead of just receiving donations from donors?
Reflection on the quote:
This week, I’ve been reading about tzedakah, the Jewish tradition of charity. However, it’s meaning is so much broader than the traditional idea of giving a donation. Within its meaning are also the concepts of justice and righteous behavior. In the article I was reading, the author stated that it’s the way in which we repair world. In addition, instead of giving charity to someone - the emphasis on to someone, it must be done with someone. The emphasis is on with, meaning to come alongside, to journey with someone when giving a gift to them.
In our work, we accept tzedakah, that is, the generosity of others. And, through our work, we are partnering with these donors to repair the world and bring about justice and care for both the poor and the rich. In doing so, we are filling the world with lovingkindness, peace, and confidence that the arc of history bends towards justice as Martin Luther King Jr. stated.
This work has entered the public domain.
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Music credit: Woeisuhmebop
Welcome back to this podcast where we focus on the wisdom of generosity, from ancient to modern. If you enjoy these five minute reflections on being a person in the beautiful space where generosity occurs helpful, please share this podcast in your fundraising networks. And, if this is the first time joining us, don’t forget to go back to previous episodes for the rich insights. And, be sure to subscribe to this weekly podcast in your favorite podcast app.
This week, I’ve been reading about tzedakah, the Jewish tradition of charity. However, it’s meaning is so much broader than the traditional idea of giving a donation. Within its meaning are also the concepts of justice and righteous behavior. In the article I was reading, the author stated that it’s the way in which we repair world. In addition, instead of giving charity to someone - the emphasis on to someone, it must be done with someone. The emphasis is on with, meaning to come alongside, to journey with someone when giving a gift to them. So, this week, I’m reading quotes from Sukkah 49b about tzedakah.
Quote
“Our Rabbis taught: Deeds of loving kindness are superior to charity in three respects. Charity can be accomplished only with money; deeds of loving kindness can be accomplished through personal involvement as well as with money. Charity can be given only to the poor; deeds of loving kindness can be done for both poor and rich. Charity applies only to the living; deeds of loving kindness apply to both the living and the dead.”
Unquote.
Further, quote.
“Whoever practices charity and justice fills the world with loving kindness.”
and, finally, quote:
The fruit of tzedakah will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
Unquote
In our work, we accept tzedakah, that is, the generosity of others. And, through our work, we are partnering with these donors to repair the world and bring about justice and care for both the poor and the rich. In doing so, we are filling the world with lovingkindness, peace, and confidence that the arc of history bends towards justice as Martin Luther King Jr. stated.
Let’s reflect on two questions this week:
How are we giving donors that vision of repairing the world through their gifts?
What are ways that we can practice tzedakah with donors? That is, practicing justice, peace, and loving kindness with donors instead of just receiving donations from donors?
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.
