Mother Theresa said it:  If you give away what you do not need, it is not giving.  Each year, groups like the Salvation Army receive approximately $5.1 billion dollars worth of donated articles, mostly clothing.  A sad fact about this giving is that much of it may no longer be usable.

Some of these “donated” articles have holes in them, they don’t work, or are so fashionably out of style they are only good for the dumpster.  People clean our their closets, keep what they want and give away what they don’t need.

Each year, I try to clean out my closet too.  But here’s my challenge:  I try to reach in and give away clothes that I like, that I wear, that are still in style.  It tests me.  It’s not so hard to give away something that I haven’t worn in some time, but it is much harder to give away something that I wear with some frequency.

Why do I wrestle?  I might have need of it.  I like it.  It’s mine.  It makes me look good.  These are the statements of the possessing heart.

Giving away something that I need—now that’s giving.

Bill High

Bill is CEO & Founder of Vyne Legacy. He works with families to equip them with tools to build multigenerational legacies, and he teaches givers and financial advisers on transformational biblical generosity. He is the co-author with David Green of Giving It All Away and Getting It All Back Again: The Way of Living Generously.

Published February 11, 2016

Topics: Generosity

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