The Laws of Generosity and Meanness in Life

Today's "Living Abundantly" discusses how one can live well. Observing those who live well, you will discern a pattern: there are two types of people, the generous and the mean-spirited. Those who can take a loss and shoulder responsibility are generous; those who cannot take a loss and shirk responsibility are mean-spirited. Few misers live well, but wanting to be generous does not mean acting recklessly. One must discern when to be generous and when not to be.

Mean-spirited People Do Not Live Well

When I was in university, everyone lived in dormitory buildings with many people. Some dormitories had excellent and harmonious interpersonal relationships, while others were tense. Beijing winters are very cold, below freezing. There was no hot water; one had to carry a thermos to fetch water, a five-minute walk. After fetching it, it was left until after self-study to be brought back for washing. Some people only carried one for themselves, some carried two for themselves and a close friend, and some carried four. The student who carried only one often found his water gone. Classmates liked to tease him. This is a mean-spirited person. As the saying goes, "As the twig is bent, so grows the tree." Mean-spirited people do not live well! Being easily angered is also a form of meanness; getting upset over trivial matters.

Among us are people of different ages. Meanness is disadvantageous, so do not be mean-spirited. But if you continue to suffer losses, then so be it. Everyone has their own standards for judging things; the benevolent see benevolence, and the wise see wisdom. Generous people are prone to taking losses, but they look at the long term, while mean-spirited people look at immediate gains.

There is a management university in Singapore where students often spontaneously organize research projects. Some misers fuss and fret, and no one wants them. Some people are not very capable but are willing to contribute money and effort, and everyone likes to include them in their projects. Relationships between people have value. I dislike taking advantage of others and value interpersonal relationships, which have greatly helped me. Money and relationships are incomparable. Regardless of age, one must learn to discern. It is not that those people suffer losses, but that their "calculations" are different. Therefore, I encourage everyone to discern. That miser from our school days will certainly not live well past fifty.

Generosity or Meanness is Influenced by Region

Some regions have different cultures and value systems. Some time ago, I ministered to a brother from a place where people are very mean-spirited. This brother said that people in your area are very generous and forthright, which I readily acknowledge.

Recently, I ministered to someone who stayed with me for a long time and was very mean-spirited. Her good friend is very generous, and she owes her friend hundreds of thousands that she has not repaid. She even attended some course on charity and said, "I want to do charity!" I said, "Repay the money first before doing charity." Then her response was interesting: "Is it that I cannot afford to repay it?" Her good friend said, "Then repay me." She replied, "Is it that you lack this money?" Whether mean-spirited or generous, do not ruin your brand. Each of us is a brand, building good and stable relationships with others. I have spoken before about "stability." Just as an airplane must have stability, people are mean not only with money but also with face and relationships.

Later, I received an elderly sister, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine practitioner with a high monthly salary, but she was very poor despite her age. I paid for all her food, drink, and accommodation. You will find that meanness is the root of poverty. A person's character determines their ailments, and the older one gets, the harder it is to change.

It is More Blessed to Give Than to Receive

The Choice Between Dedication and Blessing

Through this observation, we find that mean-spirited people do not live well. We can see this in relationships. If you are not mean with money but are mean in other matters, if people regard you as a miser, your interpersonal relationships will suffer, and no one will want to associate with you.
The Christian faith is a faith of dedication. God gave His only begotten Son to us. It is more blessed to give than to receive! Those who give are more blessed than those who receive!

Someone said, "I want to give testimony." When I heard it was all about what I received and what blessings I had, we speak of testimonies of service. The church is a group willing to offer themselves to God, a path of dedication. This is called Mingding Doctrine! The Bible says to cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.

Choose to Be a Generous Person

Start adjusting in all aspects to become a generous person, a dedicated person. But do not constantly treat people; that is not good. Instead, build generous relationships. Learn to be shrewd; it does not matter to take some losses. In the Bible, Isaac dug a well, and it was taken by others. He dug another, and it was taken again. Isaac said, "I bless you with a well." Isaac was a willing giver and had a hundredfold harvest in that place. So today, do we want to give or to receive? This is our choice!

In marketing, do you understand the needs of others or your own needs? If you understand the needs of others, you will surely receive much from them. My team is truly excellent, willing to offer themselves to God, never being petty. Sometimes, when we rent a house together and need essential supplies, we pool our money to buy and use them together, which greatly improves efficiency, rather than everyone buying and using their own.

From now on, constantly examine yourself in all aspects, no longer according to your own logic but according to the logic in the Bible. Jacob's wages were constantly changed by his uncle, but what does it matter? I encourage everyone to be full of understanding, knowing what is worthwhile and what is not, dealing with bad habits one by one, becoming a dedicated person, a giving person. May God bless everyone!

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