He who gives only what he would as readily throw away gives without generosity; for the essence of generosity is in self-sacrifice. ~Henry Taylor
Generosity is a disposition to good will towards others, exemplified by the habit of giving without coercion. Often equated withcharity as avirtue, generosity is widely accepted in society as a desirable trait.
Generosity is to help a deserving person without his request, and if you help him after his request, then it is either out of self-respect or to avoid rebuke.
GENEROUS, adj. Originally this word meant noble by birth and was rightly applied to a great multitude of persons. It now means noble by nature and is taking a bit of a rest.
There are people who are known to be very liberal, yet they never give without scolding or pride or even insolence.
John CalvinGolden Booklet of the True Christian Life, Page 39
I have confidence not so much in my own abilities as in the generosity of everyone else.
Rosario Castellanos "Genesis of an Ambassador" (1971) In Another Way to Be: Selected Works of Rosario Castellanos translated from Spanish by Myralyn Allgood
My friends,Dr. King realized that the only real wealth comes from helping others.
César Chávez, in a speech,Lessons of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr (1990)
Generosity is a virtue for individuals, not Governments. When governments are generous it is with other people's money, other people's safety, other people's future.
Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will yourheart be also.
And having looked up, He saw the rich ones putting their gifts into the treasury. And He also saw a certain poor widow putting two lepta there. And He said, Truly I say to you, This poor widow put in more than all. For all these out of their abundance put into the gifts of God, but she out of her poverty put in all the living which she had.
Jesus, Gospel of Luke 21: 1-4
Generosity is avirtue more frequently found in the small top layers than among the masses. After all, it takesintelligence to suspect that generosity very often pays while egotism does not.
You've been so kind and generous. I don't know how you keep on giving. For your kindness, I'm in debt to you. For your selflessness, my admiration. And for everything you've done, you know I'm bound... I'm bound to thank you for it.
Be generous! Give to those whom you love; give to those who love you; give to the fortunate; give to the unfortunate; yes — give especially to those to whom you don’t want to give.
Your most precious, valued possessions and your greatest powers are invisible and intangible. No one can take them. You, and you alone, can give them. You will receive abundance for your giving. The more you give — the more you will have!
I wonder if those who advocate generosity for its rewards notice the inconsistency, or if what they call generosity is an attractive investment strategy.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb,The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms (2010) Preludes, p.6.
He who gives only what he would as readily throw away gives without generosity; for the essence of generosity is in self-sacrifice.
