Generosity’s Benefits Are No Myth (but There is a Myth to Illustrate How Generosity Benefits Us)

Over the years, I’ve come to understand the incredible financial benefits of generosity. Generosity improves our health, increases joy, lowers stress levels, and can also increase financial benefits. So much so that practicing generosity is something I advise people to do regularly, even when they tell me they have very little to offer.

However, I’m frequently asked, ‘Spencer, how can you tell people to be generous when they don’t have much to give?’

There’s a valid point embedded in this question - those who don't have much money will have limitations on how much they can share with others.?

My response, though, is simple - it’s the act of generosity that creates the conditions for growing wealth, and it doesn’t have to be a monetary offering. You can be generous with your time, resources, and quality of attention.

The Greeks became aware of this centuries ago, and illustrated the principle through a myth called Zeus’s Test.?

The Power of Generosity?

Once upon a time, two strangers wandered into a village, asking the local inhabitants for shelter.

While nearly every door they knocked on turned them away, an elderly couple called Baucis and Philemon welcomed them into their home.

Even though Baucis and Philemon's house was small and they didn’t have much food, they scrambled together what little they had.

Their dining table was wobbly, but they made sure it was supported with a small wooden block, and they rubbed the surface with mint so that it smelled fresh for their guests.

Baucis and Philemon cooked vegetables and cut meat from a shank so they could feed their guests for the night, and offered what was left of their sweet wine.

Soon, the old couple turned what little they had into a great feast.

However, privately, Baucis and Philemon worried they wouldn’t have enough left over for themselves.

But as they watched their guests dine, Baucis and Philemon noticed something strange - the wine from the clay jar they drank from never ran out.

The elderly couple realized these were no ordinary strangers. They were gods in disguise.

Not knowing which gods they were, Baucis and Philemon grew fearful that their offerings were insufficient, so they started to chase after the goose that guarded their home for extra food.

But when they were too tired to catch the goose, Baucis and Philemon expected the gods to punish them.

However, the Gods revealed themselves to be two of the most powerful figures in Greek mythology - Zeus and his son, Hermes - and they praised Baucis and Philemon for being generous and hospitable to strangers, which in ancient Greece was known as Xenia.?

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Importance of Xenia in Ancient Greece

For the Greeks, Xenia was a way of life. Hospitality towards foreigners and guests was a moral obligation, a way of demonstrating virtue. The Greeks incorporated Xenia into their customs and manners, and it became a standard practice throughout the culture.

They believed that having a generous spirit was good for everyone, that it facilitated positive relationships (especially with those from other cultures), and encouraged more generous acts in kind.

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Financial Benefits of Generous Acts

That said, the Greek Gods believed in punishing those who did not practice Xenia, so Zeus and Hermes sent a massive flood into the village that damaged all the homes except for Baucis and Philemon’s, which they turned into a beautiful temple, where Baucis and Philemon lived happily for the rest of their days.

The myth teaches when too many people act from a place of selfishness and fear, the entire community will often experience suffering, but also that those who do practice generosity can still individually reap the rewards.

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The Generous Spirit

One thing I find so interesting about Zeus’s Test is that, despite being able to prepare a feast for their guests, Baucis and Philemon still felt a constant sense of inadequacy.

They worried they didn’t have enough and that they hadn’t done enough, but ultimately, this fear was unfounded because Zeus and Hermes weren’t interested in the size of Baucis and Philemon’s feast; They were only interested in their spirit of generosity.

Like Baucis and Philemon, we all feel a sense of inadequacy when it comes to what we have. However, it’s how we put what we have to use for others that have the potential to reap the greatest rewards.

Generosity is one of the best ways to create a healthy economy, and one of the few wealth-building tools with the power to benefit everyone.

This is why I encourage everyone to be generous with whatever resources they have. It doesn’t just have to be money. It can be time, attention, wisdom, creativity, etc. One of my favorite meditation teachers says that whenever he has a generous impulse or thought, he takes action. This has served him for years. What if you do an experiment and take this on, starting today?? Listen to yourself for thoughts of generosity and take action.