We tackled generous giving and how it is redounded to the giver.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill. Generosity indicates a person’s love to help the needy. Decent manners are as important as generosity because a generous person should be benevolent as well and his benevolence is depicted in his decent manners in dealing with others.
Humbleness is the attribute of the benevolent Abraham: God’s friend is a great example. When there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. The land was not able to support them that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. Abraham chose nothing but to give Lot the choice to determine the place he preferred to live in. He was so generous in spending money on housing the strangers and so benevolent that he put others first even the younger or the less in rank. A decent person is tolerant and forgiving as well. Joseph the righteous did not defame the wife of his master and he endured the injustice and the punishment for a crime he did not commit. Thus, God reward for him was exceedingly great that He made him the master of all Egypt and the second man after Pharaoh. He also saved his family and the whole world from the great famine.
He also forgave his brethrens and he did not revenge himself on them who wanted to kill him and sold him as a slave. He was in a great position and capable of taking his vengeance, however he forgave them. After his father’s death, his brothers were afraid that he might kill them, but he reassured them and explained that coming to Egypt was arranged by God to save them and the whole country of famine.
Decent manners involve treating others kindly and with respect. Respect he gives is the respect he obtained from others and he would be appreciated by all. Decency inspires others and helps them to change their life for better.
During the graduation party of medical school in 1920, the president of medical association gave a speech in which he told a story of a old woman who once knocked his doors at a stormy night and urged him to come to save her sick child. The doctor hasted to save the child in that rainy and stormy weather without any second thoughts. The woman was living in a small room. Her child was in great pain and he save him and refused to take any fees from his mother. He took care of him till he was completely healed.
Before he ended his speech, the prime minister at that time “George Llyod” shouted that he was the very child and that he had been looking for the doctor for 20 years. His mother asked to search for and reward him for his benevolence. That doctor was a role model for his benevolence and decent matters.
Decent manners influence the giver and the receiver. Once upon a time….to be continued …
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
