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Philanthropy

The Context of Dirt

To understand generosity is to understand thankfulness. I’ll explain with a story about dirt.

What we now call Silicon Valley was once vast fruit orchards. I remember growing up in San Jose and walking through cherry orchards on my way to school, and I’m not even old enough for social security. Imagine what the old timers could tell us!

When I was four we moved to a home with a small area in the backyard meant for a garden, but at various times it was my play area. One time I wanted to dig a foxhole, probably something I had …

Generosity, Philanthropy,

Giving Without Understanding

This story begins with a generous act of giving time, treasure, and talent. A friend, I will call him Larry, and several people from his church went to Mexico to build houses in a blighted community. These were simple structures with communal water and electricity, so it wasn’t hard to put up four walls and a roof. Several houses were completed. Larry and his team returned home feeling good about the work they had done.

Larry had given his time, treasure, and talent. The others on the trip did as well.

A few years later Larry returned to the same …

Generosity, Philanthropy,

The Generous Centurion

Hey friends, fun update before getting to this weeks post. I’ve added audio! So now you can click the play button at the top of each blog entry. You can listen to my amateurish voice instead of reading my amateurish thoughts. I’ve done a few past posts too, and I hope to do all the future ones.

Okay, so that announced, on to this weeks post. Which is a really good one.

So here’s an idea. Let’s do something that triggers a global revival, establishes an entirely new set of theological ideas, changes a ton of cultural and social norms, …

Generosity, Philanthropy, Random Thoughts,

Generous Theology

It’s a truism that the older we get the less sure we are. But for me, at least, that’s been a blessing. Certainly there are some things I’m more sure of than ever. For many other things, well, let’s just say that with age comes wisdom, and with wisdom we begin to see how little we actually understand. Life becomes a little less clear, a little more blurry. Which, as I said, has been a blessing.

I’ve become comfortable not fully knowing something, which paradoxically has allowed me to relax. You might think just the opposite happens — that by …

Generosity, Junkyard Management, Philanthropy,

Financial Planners and Generosity

Last week I wrote about not expecting pastors to be your primary source of information about generosity.

This week it’s about financial planners. Don’t assume that because they know the difference between a charitable remainder trust and a charitable gift annuity that they know anything at all about actual generosity.

The truth is that most financial planners are trained at, well, planning your finances. Most have a financial incentive in mind — namely fees for managing your money.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I use them regularly. In this increasingly complex world we all need their expertise.

But … …

Generosity, Philanthropy,

Pastors and Generosity

This is going to be a thread the needle kind of post that will be easily misunderstood. It will likely offend some pastors I’m not trying to offend. But here we go anyway.

Pastors should not be the primary source of information about generosity.

I can already see some pastors upset by that. But let me explain.

Pastors are, by and large, among the most generous people I know. They give of their time, their heart, and when possible their wallet. This post is most definitely not a rant about the pastor who invites you to lunch then expects you …

Generosity, Philanthropy,

Spiritual Generosity

Asking people for money is asking them to practice a spiritual gift. So why does it make us so uncomfortable?

Those of us in the faith community often hear the request, “I would appreciate your prayer right now.”

It’s an easy ask, isn’t it? The person being asked will always agree. Sometimes they invest time and heart into the process. Other times they say a simple prayer in their head, and check it off their to-do list. Either way, the request is usually met.

But raising the stakes becomes problematic. “I would really appreciate you making dinner tonight for my …

Family, Generosity, Leadership, Philanthropy,

Crescent Wrench Generosity

Most of you who read this blog know how I worked at Goble Properties with my father, side by side, for 25-years. But of course I worked with my Dad long before starting my career. For instance, from the time I was old enough to read I was marking tires at the wrecking yard. One childhood experience with him taught me what I call Crescent Wrench Generosity.

I was young, probably 8-years old. For whatever reason Dad had brought home a tank of acetelyn and oxygen (used for cutting iron). The tanks were in the side yard standing against the …