One of the things I’ve appreciated since arriving in Shoalhaven Heads is the generosity of people in our community. Whether it’s clubs, volunteer groups or neighbours helping neighbours, generosity is alive and well. But what makes someone truly generous? I recently heard the story of a husband who arrived home with flowers for his wife. Delighted, she asked, “What made you think of me?” He replied, “Clause 7.3 of the marriage vows. I thought it was about time I complied.” The point is obvious. True generosity isn’t produced by obligation, guilt or keeping the rules. It flows from the heart. The Bible says that’s true of God himself. The Apostle Paul writes that though Jesus “was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” Jesus left the glory of heaven to enter our world, ultimately giving his life on a cross so that we could receive God’s forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. Perhaps the greatest act of generosity the world has ever seen wasn’t a donation or a fundraiser. It was Jesus Christ.

Craig Langstaff Minister, St Peter’s Anglican Church, Shoalhaven Heads (Article published in edition of ‘Heads News’. July 2026)