Wasteful Generosity is Grace in Disguise
People ask me a lot of things about generosity. But one question is common:
“How can you be sure your gift is going to be used wisely?”
The wording changes. Sometimes it’s about impact, sometimes about whether the recipient can be trusted. But the heart of the question is always the same.
I get it. Nobody wants to be taken advantage of. Nobody wants to waste money.
But my blunt answer surprises people: “Get over yourself!”
If your goal is to actually become a generous person, to practice the spiritual formation of generosity, it has to be focused on the act itself.
Otherwise you’ve shifted the gift into something else. You’ve turned it into an investment.
And hey, investments are fine. They matter. But let’s be honest—investments are messy, too. Venture capital firms spray money around knowing most bets will flop. Financial planners preach diversification because they expect some losses. Mutual funds buy a basket of stocks because no one can pick winners every time. Waste happens everywhere.
Generosity, though, isn’t supposed to be another version of Wall Street. It’s a spiritual practice. It’s about trust. Sometimes God even delights in what looks like “wasteful generosity.”
Sure, once in a while you’ll get burned. Welcome to life. Cars break down, friends disappoint, checks bounce. If that makes you clutch your wallet tighter, then generosity was never the point anyway.
Give freely. Wastefully, even. That’s where the real return is.
Because generosity isn’t about control. It’s the opposite, actually. It’s about loosening your grip. Letting go. Trusting that God works through broken people and bad strategy—just like He somehow works through you and me.
That’s not wasteful. That’s grace.
And look, I’ve wasted money on dumb cars, bad business ideas, and overpriced wine. More than I care to admit.
But when I “waste” money on generosity? The act never feels wasted, even when the results sometimes do.
That’s why I’ll keep giving. Even if someone takes me for a ride now and then.