The Gift Of Giving

The Gift of Giving

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

John 13:34, NIV

We’ve all heard that it’s better to give than it is to receive, but did you know that research confirms it? Biologically speaking, kind people have better health and tend to live longer.

In an article entitled “What We Get When We Give,” sociologist Christine Carter gives an overview of some of the myriad health benefits of living a life of kindness.

People who volunteer tend to experience fewer aches and pains. Giving help to others protects overall health twice as much as aspirin protects against heart disease. People 55 and older who volunteer for two or more organizations have an impressive 44 percent lower likelihood of dying—and that’s after sifting out every other contributing factor, including physical health, exercise, gender, habits like smoking, marital status, and many more. This is a stronger effect than exercising four times a week.^a

Since I loathe exercising, this is good news for me. A lot of these positive side effects are attributed to what’s often referred to as a “helper’s high.” Carter notes that in one study, many of the participants felt calmer and happier, reporting feelings of greater self-worth and higher energy levels after helping someone else.^b Helping someone in need stimulates our brains to reward us by releasing the feel-good chemical dopamine.

It reminds me of giving Christmas presents—I’m often more excited to see someone else’s response to a gift I’ve carefully chosen for them than I am to open anything placed under the tree for me. When God tells us to “love one another,” it’s a command that, when lived out, can give us just as much pleasure (and good health!) as it gives to those we’re aiming to help.

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Is there an organization or cause that you believe in? If so, maybe it’s time to take the next step and volunteer with them on a regular basis.