Hard Wired To Give

John 3:16

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

A number of years ago, the Wall Street Journal published an article on the scientific study of Generosity, entitled ‘Hard Wired For Giving.’ The research involved people being placed inside an MRI scanner who were then asked whether or not they wanted to give to various charities. The scans revealed that when people made the decision to donate to what they felt was a worthy organisation, parts of the midbrain lit up—the same region that controls cravings for food and sex. They discovered that generosity triggers certain chemical reactions in our brains that increase pleasure and reduces stress. The research concluded that ultimately humans we are ‘hard wired to give.’ 

As people made in the image of God, this is in no way surprising. We worship a God who is, in his very nature, a giving God. We see this reality powerfully in John 3:16, a Scripture that captures beautifully the Gospel story. God loves the world. How can we be sure of this? Because he ‘gave’ his one and only Son to die on a cross. 

God is in every way generous. He gives us life (Romans 4:17), strength (Psalm 68:35),  and peace (Psalm 29:11). He gives us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for those who mourn (Isaiah 61:3) and he gives us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). 

At the heart of the Gospel is the outrageous generosity of God. If we could comprehend this today what free, bold and joy-filled lives we would lead!

Prayer – Lord thank you that every good and perfect gift comes from you. Remind us today of the vast depths of your kindness and generosity.