This will be the last in my blog series on generosity. After today I will be taking a couple of weeks away from the blog. I'm not sure what I will be blogging about when I resume in mid-August. Any ideas or suggestions?

Today I want to reflect on generosity and love. I was very lucky to grow up with loving, expressive parents. Every night before bed my parents would tell me, "I love you." This was a great gift. When my father died in 2010 I had no question that he loved me. Every time my mother and I talk on the phone we say, "I love you" to each other across the miles.

Jesus tells us that the most important thing we can do is love. The greatest commandments are to love God and love each other. In John 15 Jesus tells his disciples, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." Love defines our lives as Christians.

In our culture romantic love gets all the attention. There are, however, many different kinds of love. There is the deep and committed love of long-time partners. There is the love between parents and children. This is the love among friends and the love that binds together brothers and sisters in Christ. As a pastor I have experienced the love that exists between pastor and congregation.

When was the last time you said, "I love you?" Is there someone in your life that you love but have not told? What could you lose by expressing your love to someone else? How are you being called to be generous in expressing your love?

There are many ways to be generous. As we've discussed over the past few weeks, we can be generous with our money and with our time. We can also be generous with our attitude. You know that person who cut you off in traffic? Instead of assuming that he is just a big jerk, it might be worthwhile to wonder if there could be another reason for his actions. Maybe he just found out that a loved one is in the hospital. Maybe he just lost his job and is preoccupied with worry. Perhaps he shouldn't be on the road, but flipping him the "bird" probably won't make the situation better either!

In the course of our lives we will all experience slights. Our best friend will forget our birthday. Our loved one will say something we consider mean-spirited. A generosity in attitude could lead us to explore the situation further before jumping to conclusions. It is hard work to cultivate a generous attitude. Sometimes it is easier to just honk the horn or cut off communication with our thoughtless friend. However, the work of cultivating a generous attitude just might keep us from stewing over imagined hurts and lead to deeper, stronger relationships.

I wonder if this is what Jesus was getting at when he told us to turn the other cheek. "But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matthew 5:39) Some have suggested that this passage encourages us to be doormats. I don't believe that Jesus would want any of his followers to submit to abusive behavior. Instead, I wonder if Jesus is encouraging us to resist the urge to jump to conclusions and, instead, be generous in our dealings with each other. In this passage Jesus goes on to say, "And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." Maybe that person needs it more!

I certainly struggle with cultivating a generous attitude. Being generous in attitude is a spiritual discipline. It is so easy to assume that I know another's motivations and intentions. It is so easy to see slights when there are, instead, simple miscommunications. Spiritually, though, I want to see the best in people, not the worst.

When have you been generous in attitude? When have you not? How can you practice a generosity of attitude today?