Hard-Wired to Give

2 Corinthians 8: 7 (NIV)

… see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

An article in the Wall Street Journal explored how people responded when they chose to give. The research involved people being placed inside an MRI scanner. They 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 organization, parts of the midbrain lit up—the same region that controls cravings for food and sex. They discovered that generosity triggers certain neuro-chemical reactions in our brains that increase pleasure and reduces stress.

The research concluded: '… giving is actually inherently rewarding: the brain churns out a pleasurable response when we engage in it.' Ultimately it revealed that, as humans, we are hard-wired to give.

As human beings are made in the image of God, this is in no way surprising. God in his very nature is a giving God - generous in every way. He is the God who so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Glance through the Bible and we see that giving is something God is passionate about. Whilst there are 371 verses on prayer, 714 verses on love, there are 2161 verses on giving!

God’s desire for us is that we become more like him; that we would excel in giving; that we would live generous lives that reveal the depth of God’s love and kindness. We are most like Jesus when we choose to give!

Prayer — Lord show me what it looks like to give sacrificially. May my life demonstrate your stunning generosity.